Bullying in the workplace : investigating the experiences and feelings of employees and management at a local municipality in KwaZulu Natal.

Abstract

Introduction Workplace bullying (WB) is a universal phenomenon often attributed to physical violence and/or psychological abuse, which may have devastating consequences for both the individual/s and organisational wellness (Du Plessis, 2017). However, a lacuna in the research on the phenomenon of bullying was identified within the research domain. Up to the date of completion of the research study, there were no comprehensive anti-bullying policies and intervention guidelines in place at the study site to effectively eradicate bullying. Objectives The study aim was to gain insight into employees’ and managers’ feelings and experiences of WB at a local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. This objective included the need to obtain a deeper understanding of how employees and managers construct their experiences and cope with WB, and to obtain their recommendations to prevent and manage its occurrence. Furthermore, all objectives of the research study worked together to develop substantial intervention guidelines to reduce and eliminate bullying within the said municipality. Method A qualitative, explorative single case study was the research approach adopted. Purposive sampling was used in this study and ten employees and ten managers were interviewed at the selected municipality. Semi-structured online interviews on Microsoft Teams, Zoom and journaling were used to collect data for the study. The data obtained were analysed through Moustakas’ (1994) modified van Kaam method of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), document analysis and the researcher’s journal. The theoretical frameworks of Foucault and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model contributed to further explicate the research findings. Results WB was commonly understood and experienced as a frequent and intentional abuse of power and authority, with vertical bullying and mobbing being the most prominent types of bullying experienced in the municipality. The research findings revealed that although WB was rampant across the municipality, the awareness of the phenomenon was notably poor. Common manifestations of WB included workplace aggression, social and job isolation, harassment, victimisation, undermining, humiliation and intrusion. As discussed in the study, results revealed that victims experienced various negative consequences of WB. At an organisational level, it became evident that WB severely impacted on the wellness of many employees and the local municipality as a whole. Overall, bullying created a toxic environment through a multitude of unacceptable and inappropriate abusive cause-and-effect practices and activities that exacerbated the spread of WB at the selected research site. Emotion and problem based coping mechanisms employed by victims were identified as effective coping mechanisms in response to WB. In addition, leadership accountability and consequence management were required to eliminate WB. Various approaches were recommended for the victims to prevent and manage the phenomenon in the municipality. Conclusion The data analysis indicated that the employees and managers interviewed experienced WB as a prominent feature of their workplace environment at the municipality. Despite their assertive and resilient approach, employees and managers grappled with the deleterious consequences of WB on their psychological, physical, social and organisational well-being. The development of multi-level interventions was recommended to prohibit bullying at the municipality. It was further recommended that a number of proactive measures were to be implemented to effectively prevent and manage WB.