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Bullying in Turkish white-collar workers
Nazan Bilgel1, Serpil Aytac, Nuran Bayram
1Department of Family Medicine, Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa 16059, Turkey. nazan@uludag.edu.tr
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England)
|March 2, 2006
Summary
Workplace bullying is prevalent among white-collar employees, negatively impacting health. A supportive work environment appears to mitigate these adverse health effects for bullied individuals.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Workplace bullying is a significant issue affecting employee well-being.
- Understanding the prevalence and health impacts of bullying is crucial for intervention.
- The role of workplace support in mitigating bullying's effects requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of workplace bullying among white-collar workers.
- To evaluate the association between reported bullying and its effects on employee health.
- To assess the impact of workplace support on bullied employees' health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among full-time government employees in health, education, and security sectors.
- Bullying was assessed using a 20-item inventory.
- Health outcomes were measured using the Job Induced Stress Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, and Propensity to Leave Scale.
Main Results:
- The response rate was 79% (944/1,200), with 877 questionnaires analyzed.
- 55% of respondents reported experiencing workplace bullying in the previous year; 47% witnessed bullying.
- Bullying was significantly associated with increased anxiety, depression, and job-induced stress, particularly when workplace support was low.
Conclusions:
- Workplace bullying is a serious problem with potential health consequences for white-collar workers.
- A supportive work environment demonstrates a protective effect on the mental health outcomes of bullied employees.
- Interventions should consider both addressing bullying behaviors and fostering supportive workplace cultures.
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