The phenomenon of incivility and workplace bullying across industries worldwide is pervasive and harms individuals and the organization. It is well researched that the impact on targets of incivility and bullying behaviour is damaging, is often severe, and results in negative consequences for the targets and the organization. Furthermore, within the context of the dark triad, workplace bullies engage in varying levels of psychopathy to the detriment of the target. This chapter is designed to provide readers with a breadth and depth of knowledge related to the prevalence of the bullying phenomenon, predictors of bullying behaviour, psychopathology of the bully, and the psychological impact on targets.
TopIntroduction
The phenomenon of incivility and workplace bullying across industries worldwide is pervasive and harms individuals and the organization (De Clercq et al., 2020; Walker et al., 2021; Walker & Stones, 2020). Furthermore, it is well researched that the impact on targets of incivility and bullying behaviour is damaging, often severe, with negative consequences for the targets and the organizations in which they work (Mohanty & Mohanty, 2017; Salin & Notelaers, 2020).
Factors that influence workplace bullying include organizational culture (acceptable) and a rite of passage (Morcom, 2015), which creates a groupthink mentality which normalizes and creates a toxic culture ripe for incivility within many organizations. In addition, workplace bullying is a widely studied phenomenon that has a significant impact on many individuals (De Clercq et al., 2020; Mohanty & Mohanty, 2017; Carter et al., 2013; Ciby & Raya, 2015; Hogh et al., 2017a). Within the context of the dark triad, workplace bullies engage in varying levels of psychopathy at the detriment of the target. This chapter is designed to provide readers with a breadth and depth of knowledge related to the prevalence of the bullying phenomenon, predictors of bullying behaviour, psychopathology of the bully, and the psychological impact on targets.
Objectives of the Chapter
Building on the above postulations, this chapter aims to review the current and seminal works of researchers in workplace bullying. It seeks to reveal or understand the underlying patterns of workplace bullies, personality traits and the psychological implications for targets on employee’s mental health. More precisely, this chapter plans delve into bullying through the lens of ecological systems in the workplace. The literature review further aims to attempt to map the outcomes and consequences of bullying on employees’ mental health.
Literature Review
Theoretical Framework
For the purposes of developing a greater understanding of the dimensions present within workplace incivility, the ecological systems model of workplace bullying originally developed by Bronfenbrenner (1979), can be implemented in order to further appreciate the hierarchical structures surrounding workplace bullying (Walker, 2017). The model consists of three distinct levels that include microsystems, mesosystems and macrosystems. The first system involves interpersonal relationships, the second pertains to the intersectionality’s between various relationships and the last system is farther-reaching and incorporates the impacts of larger systems like the government and its impacts on the individual (Walker, 2017). Although the original model features six distinct systems, those listed previously are an appropriate examination of human development and the relationships and environments that contribute to workplace incivility and provide greater dept into this phenomenon of workplace bullies (Walker, 2017; Crawford et al., 2020).
Taking a closer look at the ecological systems of workplace bullying, consideration is given to the microsystem as the relationship between the targeted individual and the perpetrator, the mesosystem as the relationships among the immediate work group or colleagues including the supervisor, and finally the macrosystem as the representation of the organization in its entirety (Walker, 2017). Within the designated relationships, the outcomes at every level typically results in poor mental and physiological health outcomes for the target (Walker, 2017). As such, having the ability to identify the system level a target is most afflicted by, would be a suitable foundation on which to start building and implementing solutions within these interactions.