Social Media Bullying in the Workplace: Impacts on Motivation, Productivity, and Workplace Culture

Introduction

According to the Workplace Bullying Institute (2015), bullying in the workplace is one of the most intrusive behaviors and is associated with diminished worker motivation, productivity, and workplace culture. Individuals are often targeted and isolated through the use of gossip, abusive or violent language, and even bodily harm. Deviant behavior in the workplace – which includes theft, sabotage, misrepresentation of performance, and excessive absenteeism (Harvey, Martinko, & Borkowski, 2017) may arise in those who are bullied and often escalate over time if no intervention occurs to correct the bullying. With the advent of social media, workplace bullying has taken on more aggressive forms that encourage dangerous behavior from the perpetrators (Workplace Bullying Institute, 2015).

Research into social media and workplace bullying has begun to grow as social platforms have taken the place of other popular outlets for stress relief. According to Privitera and Campbell (2009), the use of social media and the Internet has increased sharply in recent years. With this increase, there is an increased level of bullying associated with more individual access to the Internet. Perpetrators are able to access their targets on a broader scale and on multiple platforms, often with the advantage of anonymity. The researchers further noted that there are different types of bullying associated with mobile and digital device, including cyberbullying and social media bullying. Cyberbullying is more personal and direct; social media bullying involves public bullying.

Mitsopoulou and Giovazolias (2015) found that males engage in cyber and social media bullying at higher rates than females. For instance, the results of a meta-analysis demonstrated that low levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness and high levels of extraversion and neuroticism were associated bullying and victimization. One of the many reasons that it is important to research social media bullying and its effects on employees is the social, psychological, and behavioral ramifications that occur with bullying. The workplace is intended to promote healthy behaviors that encourage productivity and motivation. Productivity in the workplace is defined as a measure of labor efficiency and organizational performance. Effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of work life are all contributors to productivity (Flynn, 2013). Motivation in the workplace is defined as a psychological process that directs individual’s choices regarding the type and intensity of their behavior (Sachau, 2013). By better understanding what leads to and sustains social media bullying, organizations may be more able to equip employees and managers with the appropriate intervention methods to avert such bullying behaviors (Mitsopoulou & Giovazolias, 2015).