Workplace bullying is a modern day problem which employers cannot afford to ignore. The impact on both the business (or organisation) and individual is of such a nature that research is needed to understand it better and to determine the extent to which it is present in the business or organisation. Research thus far covered the prevalence, consequences and causes of bullying in the organisation. Various methods to counteract and prevent it have been investigated, but with reference to the South African context knowledge is lacking. This study focuses on workplace bullying in SMMEs as very little research has been done in this field. The purpose of this study is to be able to provide a framework for managers as to how to deal, prevent and minimise workplace bullying in SMMEs of South Africa. A convenient sample was selected and information was gathered by means of a questionnaire. A quantitative study was executed and the prevalence of bullying in the SMMEs was established and a number of independent variables were tested. The independent variables researched were managerial training, awareness training, a corporate anti-bullying policy, risk assessment and mediation. The main findings were that bullying in SMMEs is indeed prevalent, but that the independent variables did not deliver significant correlations. The practical implications for managers are that strategies and tools used in larger organisations are not applicable in SMMEs. The workplace environment of the SMME is unique and different methods and tools must be identified and applied in combatting workplace bullying. The contribution of this study is that managers in South Africa across the broad industrial spectrum must realise that bullying is prevalent and that corporate policies and measures must be put in place to address it. It can no longer be ignored and further research on the subject must be encouraged.

A research project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA by coursework and Research Report in the field of Industrial Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg July 2017 / Workplace bullying is an unfortunate occurrence within organisations and has become a prevalent area of interest. However, research on workplace bullying and specifically its effect on work engagement within a South African context is rare. Additionally, research on the relationship between workplace bullying and personality traits is limited to the Big Five personality traits. This research thus broadened its range from the Big Five personality traits and focused on neuroticism, assertiveness, optimism, pessimism and hardiness. The research further assessed the moderating effect of personality on the relationship between workplace bullying and work engagement. The sample consisted of 200 white collar employees over the age of 18 that was obtained using a volunteer, snowball sampling method. The responses were obtained using survey methodology, which led to the cross-sectional nature of the study. Analyses of results were completed using a Pearson’s product moment correlation analysis and a moderated multiple regression analysis. The results from the Pearson’s product moment correlation mainly supported the hypotheses, however there were findings that countered the hypotheses, mainly assertiveness as this proved to be the most unexpected finding. The results from the moderated multiple regression showed that only neuroticism and pessimism moderated the relationship between workplace bullying and work engagement as opposed to assertiveness, optimism and hardiness that did not. The findings of this research thus contribute to the limited body of South African research investigating different personality types moderating the relationship between workplace bullying and work engagement. / XL2018

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Workplace bullying as a serious psychosocial workplace problem have been a subject of immense discussion in foreign literature since the mid-1980s. In a nutshell, workplace bullying refers to instances where an employee is systematically and continually being subjected to mistreatment and victimisation in the workplace by another or several others through recurring negative harmful acts. The negative effects of workplace bullying on the victim, bystander and organisation is well documented in research literature. However, in South Africa inquiry into the phenomenon is not nearly as extensive as in the global community. As a result, the purpose of the present study was to partially address the deficiency that exists in South African workplace bullying literature. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate the nature and prevalence of workplace bullying in two distinct workplaces, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and Power Group, in the Western Cape, South Africa. A quantitative non-experimental ex-post facto design is employed in the investigation. Data from both the SANDF (n=105) and Power Group (n=73) are presented (N-178). Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations (SD), and percentages) are used to describe the total sample and the response data on different factors. The Chi-Square and F test were computed in order to test several differences between numerous variables for the total sample, SANDF, and Power Group. The results of the present study show that workplace bullying is a widespread problem in both the SANDF and Power Group. Between 30% and 50% of respondents had been bullied in their respective workplaces. The SANDF were found to have a higher reported prevalence of workplace bullying than Power Group. Victims are frequently subjected to work-related bullying on either a weekly or monthly basis for a period ranging between twelve months and two years. Significantly more men than women were reported as the perpetrator of workplace bullying. Those in leadership positions were more often reported as perpetrators of workplace bullying than colleagues/peers, subordinates, or clients. The results of the present study show no significant difference in the reported victimisation for gender, age, ethnicity, and level of responsibility. Those with a certificate or lower level of education were found to be at a higher risk of being bullied in the workplace than those with a diploma or higher level of education. In the case of Power Group, significant differences were found in the reported victimisation for levels of responsibility and levels of education. Workplace bullying is addressed more frequently at Power Group than in the SANDF, despite it being reported in both work environments. he present study found that neither the SANDF nor Power Group had a workplace bullying policy in the organisation.

M.Com. (Industrial Psychology) / Little is known in South Africa regarding the bullying behaviours faced by domestic workers at the hands of their employers. The objective of this study was thus to explore the nature of these bullying behaviours as experienced by South African domestic workers. The study was approached from a qualitative perspective where 10 participants were interviewed using unstructured interviews. The participants were South African from various parts of Gauteng, working for families from various demographics for at least three years. The interviews allowed for unbridled stories from the world of the domestic workers to emerge, thus consistent with my philosophical views and research strategy. It was found that all the domestic workers had experienced bullying by their employers and that all of these experiences were at least partly shared amongst them. Two categories (verbal and non-verbal) and eleven themes (belittlement, deception, wrongful accusations, lack of regard for wellbeing and basic worker needs, lack of regard for worker safety, abuse of power, racial discrimination, unsatisfactory remuneration, lack of regard for employment laws, threats to employment status and exclusion from decision making) were identified. The bullying was perpetrated by both sexes and all races. The study will add to the existing body of knowledge of bullying and assist policy makers in finding practical solutions to combating bullying.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Orientation: Bullying is a form of counterproductive behaviour that is more subtle and more difficult to detect and that can be instigated by either individual or organisational antecedents. Research purpose: This study aims to explore bullying in a public hospital, and strives to contribute to the body of knowledge by providing guidance not only to organisational practitioners but also to employees to assist with the formation of policies and procedures to protect employees against bullying. Motivation for the study: Bullying is currently a substantial phenomenon in schools, and little research exists in South Africa that explains the extent of bullying within organisations. The focus of the study is to explore the possible antecedents and cost of bullying within a public hospital and to provide guidelines for the prevention of bullying behaviour. Research design, approach and method: The design followed was that of a mixed-method study. First, a quantitative approach was used whereby questionnaires were distributed to 77 participants. The questionnaire consisted of five sections, namely demographic particulars, prevalence of bullying and intervention against bullying, types of bullying, Negative Acts Questionnaire and Work Harassment Scale, and the cost of bullying. Data was then analysed by means of descriptive statistics to determine the sample group with the highest prevalence of bullying. The second approach was a qualitative approach that included conducting an in-depth interview with seven participants who volunteered to be interviewed. Main findings: The results represented and discussed suggest that bullying is prevalent in the public hospital in the Free State, and that some of the most prevalent behaviours are that of interrupting someone while they are speaking, belittling someone’s opinion, excessive monitoring of work, or flaunting one’s status or authority. Antecedents such as attitude, job environment, perception, power and language have been identified as possible causes for bullying behaviour. Whereas anxiety, not looking forward to going to work and constantly feeling tired are some of the psychological cost, a high frequency of sick leave indicated the organisational cost of bullying. Practical/managerial implications: Participants suggested the following interventions that can be implemented by the organisation to possibly prevent bullying behaviour: an orientation programme; a policy on how to interact with staff; complying with the language policy; creating a grievance policy; support groups and training with a specific focus on anger management; emotional intelligence, and coping skills. Contribution: While bullying is prevalent and actively combated elsewhere in the world and in local schools, the importance and consequences thereof should still be realised in South African organisations. This study examined the prevalence of bullying in a public hospital, and the possible antecedents of bullying behaviour, the cost of such behaviours that should be considered by the organisation, and possible interventions that could be implemented. In line with the literature, South African organisations can benefit from realising the importance and implementation thereof. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oriëntasie: Bullebakkery is 'n vorm van onproduktiewe gedrag wat meer subtiel is en moeiliker is om te bepaal. Dit word aangehits deur individuele asook organisatoriese faktore. Doel van navorsing: Hierdie studie het ten doel om bullebakery te verken in 'n publieke hospitaal, en streef daarna om by te dra tot die literatuur, deur riglyne te verskaf om organisatoriese praktisyns, maar ook werknemers te help met die vorming van beleide en prosedures om werknemers teen die bullebakery te beskerm. Motivering: Bullebakery is tans 'n groot fenomeen in skole, en min navorsing bestaan in Suid-Afrika wat die omvang van bullebakery binne organisasies kan verduidelik. Die fokus van die studie is om die moontlike faktore en die koste van bullebakery in 'n publieke hospitaal te ondersoek en riglyne vir die voorkoming van bullebakery te voorsien. Ontwerp, benadering en metode van navorsing: Die navoringsontwerp wat gevolg is, is 'n gemengde metode studie. Eerstens, is 'n kwantitatiewe benadering gevolg waarvolgens vraelyste aan 77 deelnemers uitgedeel is. Die vraelys bestaan uit vyf afdelings, naamlik: demografiese besonderhede, die voorkoms van bullebakery en intervensies teen bullebakery, tipes bullebakery, negatiewe gedragvraelys en werkteisteringvraelys, en die koste van bullebakery. Data is deur middel van beskrywende statistiek ontleed om die steekproef met die hoogste voorkoms van bullebakery te bepaal. Die tweede benadering wat gevolg is, is 'n kwalitatiewe benadering, met die uitvoering van 'n in-diepte onderhoud met sewe deelnemers wat vrywillig aan 'n onderhoud deelgeneem het. Vernaamste bevindings: Die resultate en bespreking daarvan dui daarop dat bullebakery algemeen voorkom in die openbare hospitaal in die Vrystaat. Dit dui aan dat die algemeenste bullebakery behels die onderbreking van iemand terwyl hulle praat, verkleinering van iemand se opinie, oormatige monitering van werk en dan spog met jou status of gesag. Faktore soos houding, werksomgewing, persepsie, krag en taal is geïdentifiseer as moontlike oorsake vir die bullebakery gedrag. Verder is angs, om nie daarna uit te sien om te gaan werk nie en voortdurende moegheid, as sommige van die sielkundige koste van bullebakery wat geïdentifiseer is. ‘n Hoë frekwensie van siekteverlof is geïdentifeer as die organisatoriese koste van bullebakery. Praktiese/bestuursimplikasies: Die deelnemers het aangevoer dat die volgende stappe deur die organisasie geïmplementeer kan word om moontlik bullebakery te voorkom: 'n oriënteringsprogram, 'n beleid oor hoe om te kommunikeer met die personeel, navolging van die taalbeleid, die skep van 'n griefbeleid, ondersteuningsgroepe; opleiding met 'n spesifieke fokus op woedebestuur, emosionele intelligensie en hanteringsvaardighede. Bydrae: Terwyl die bullebakery algemeen en aktief in plaaslike skole bestry word, is dit ook van belang om die impak daarvan op Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies te ondersoek. Die fokus van hierdie studie is die ondersoek na bullebakery in 'n publieke hospitaal en die moontlike oorsake daarvanvan, die koste van sodanige gedrag wat deur organisasies oorweeg moet word, en moontlike intervensies wat geïmplementeer kan word. In ooreenstemming met die literatuur kan Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies baat vind deur die belangrikheid van die implementering daarvan te besef.

A study is made of the ever-growing worldwide social pandemic of workplace bullying. We define workplace bullying in terms of its characteristics and distinguish it from unfair discrimination in the form of harassment. A survey is presented of its occurrence worldwide and how it manifests as an organisational conflict, both as hierarchical and horizontal abuse. This is analysed in terms of a social science perspective. We consider grievance reporting as an indication of trends in workplace bullying and discuss the limitations of such reporting. We review the consequent effects of such limitations on the health of workers and workplace efficiency and note the shortcomings of existing labour law in dealing with this inadequacy. Our findings are summarised, with recommendations for resolving this conflict situation.

During times of organisational change and restructuring, employees, are often placed in acting positions. Consciously, organisations frame their reasons for this practice as preparing the system for a new strategy, organisational structure, work distribution and leadership challenges. This implies that the conscious reasons for using acting as a human resources practice may not be sound, leading to a question about the possibility of unconscious collusions operating in the system. From an unconscious perspective, it can be hypothesised that this practice represents how organisations respond to its unprocessed unconscious anxieties inherent to change, transformation and adapting to new ways of thinking, operating and functioning. This research was done using systems psychodynamics as theoretical paradigm and theory, offering a depth-psychology organisational theory, OD consultancy and qualitative research stance which differentiate between conscious and unconscious. The unconscious contains anxiety against which the system defends, specifically, by using dependence, fight/flight, pairing, me-ness and we-ness. Role identity consists of the normative, existential and phenomenal roles. If the three role parts are similar, anxiety is contained and bearable. When there are splits between the three role parts, persecutory and paranoid anxiety exists. The acting professionals’ normative role was relatively clear. In their existential role they introjected confusion, uncertainty, splits about their competence, doubt in their own authority, shame, and conflict in their view of the other. In their phenomenal role they received projections from the organisation about incompetence and denigration. The findings indicated how acting professionals experienced different kinds and intensities of anxiety. They got confused about their primary task, and the differences between their normative, existential and phenomenal roles caused high levels of performance anxiety. They struggled to manage their personal and work boundaries and the system de-authorised them by withholding information and feedback about their contribution to the organisation and their acting tenure. Acting professionals experienced being seduced by the power of the organisation, their careers being placed on hold, and being bullied by the systemic illness and toxicity in the organisational. It was concluded that the organisational system unconsciously uses acting positions as a psychodynamic container of organisational change anxiety. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / Ph.D. (Consulting Psychology)

During times of organisational change and restructuring, employees, are often placed in acting positions. Consciously, organisations frame their reasons for this practice as preparing the system for a new strategy, organisational structure, work distribution and leadership challenges. This implies that the conscious reasons for using acting as a human resources practice may not be sound, leading to a question about the possibility of unconscious collusions operating in the system. From an unconscious perspective, it can be hypothesised that this practice represents how organisations respond to its unprocessed unconscious anxieties inherent to change, transformation and adapting to new ways of thinking, operating and functioning. This research was done using systems psychodynamics as theoretical paradigm and theory, offering a depth-psychology organisational theory, OD consultancy and qualitative research stance which differentiate between conscious and unconscious. The unconscious contains anxiety against which the system defends, specifically, by using dependence, fight/flight, pairing, me-ness and we-ness. Role identity consists of the normative, existential and phenomenal roles. If the three role parts are similar, anxiety is contained and bearable. When there are splits between the three role parts, persecutory and paranoid anxiety exists. The acting professionals’ normative role was relatively clear. In their existential role they introjected confusion, uncertainty, splits about their competence, doubt in their own authority, shame, and conflict in their view of the other. In their phenomenal role they received projections from the organisation about incompetence and denigration. The findings indicated how acting professionals experienced different kinds and intensities of anxiety. They got confused about their primary task, and the differences between their normative, existential and phenomenal roles caused high levels of performance anxiety. They struggled to manage their personal and work boundaries and the system de-authorised them by withholding information and feedback about their contribution to the organisation and their acting tenure. Acting professionals experienced being seduced by the power of the organisation, their careers being placed on hold, and being bullied by the systemic illness and toxicity in the organisational. It was concluded that the organisational system unconsciously uses acting positions as a psychodynamic container of organisational change anxiety. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / Ph.D. (Consulting Psychology)

Workplace bullying studies have gathered an increasing impetus among researchers throughout the world in the last decade. Previous research has concentrated on bullying in the context of students. Recent research has shifted focus towards workplace bullying of staff by managers. Little is known of upwards bullying where staff members bully managers or students bully their teachers. In this study, workplace bullying focuses on the bullying of teaching staff by the School Management Team. The researcher used the qualitative method for this study. Questionnaires were administered to 80 teachers. Interviews were held with eight members of the School Management Team (SMT) and ten teachers who perceived that they had been subjected to bullying. Data was coded and arranged thematically using Colaizzi’s (1978) phenomenological method of analysis. Results indicate that bullying of the teaching staff thrives in all schools but with varying degrees to certain teachers who are vulnerable due to social and environmental circumstances. The researcher recommends that schools identify cases of bullying and develop an anti- bullying policy that is incorporated in the whole school development strategy. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Workplace bullying studies have gathered an increasing impetus among researchers throughout the world in the last decade. Previous research has concentrated on bullying in the context of students. Recent research has shifted focus towards workplace bullying of staff by managers. Little is known of upwards bullying where staff members bully managers or students bully their teachers. In this study, workplace bullying focuses on the bullying of teaching staff by the School Management Team. The researcher used the qualitative method for this study. Questionnaires were administered to 80 teachers. Interviews were held with eight members of the School Management Team (SMT) and ten teachers who perceived that they had been subjected to bullying. Data was coded and arranged thematically using Colaizzi’s (1978) phenomenological method of analysis. Results indicate that bullying of the teaching staff thrives in all schools but with varying degrees to certain teachers who are vulnerable due to social and environmental circumstances. The researcher recommends that schools identify cases of bullying and develop an anti- bullying policy that is incorporated in the whole school development strategy. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)