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Antecedents of Workplace Bullying among Employees in Germany: Five-Year Lagged Effects of Job Demands and Job Resources

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Maurice Conway

    (Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, 1165 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Hermann Burr

    (Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), 10317 Berlin, Germany)

  • Uwe Rose

    (Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), 10317 Berlin, Germany)

  • Thomas Clausen

    (National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Cristian Balducci

    (Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine the long-term association of job demands and job resources with self-reported exposure to workplace bullying in a representative sample of employees in Germany. Methods: We analysed a nation-wide representative cohort of employees working in the same workplace with a 5-year follow-up (S-MGA; N = 1637). The study contained self-reported measures of psychosocial working conditions, including work pace, amount of work, influence at work, role clarity and quality of leadership, and workplace bullying, and of organisational factors, including organisational restructuring and layoffs. Results: After controlling for bullying and occupational level at baseline, higher baseline levels of organisational restructuring (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.10–2.70), work pace (1.30; 95% CI 1.01–1.66), and amount of work (1.55; 95% CI 1.21–1.99), and lower baseline levels of influence at work (0.70; 95% CI 0.55–0.90) and quality of leadership (0.64; 95% CI 0.50–0.82), were associated with an elevated risk of workplace bullying at follow-up. In all, 90% of cases of self-reported workplace bullying could be attributed to these factors. Conclusions: The study suggests that employees reporting higher demands and lower resources, as well as organisational factors such as restructuring, are at a higher long-term risk of being targets of workplace bullying. Interventions aimed at preventing workplace bullying could benefit from a focus on psychosocial working conditions and organisational factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Maurice Conway & Hermann Burr & Uwe Rose & Thomas Clausen & Cristian Balducci, 2021. "Antecedents of Workplace Bullying among Employees in Germany: Five-Year Lagged Effects of Job Demands and Job Resources," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-13, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:20:p:10805-:d:656484
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Elfi Baillien & Denise Salin & Caroline V. M. Bastiaensen & Guy Notelaers, 2022. "High Performance Work Systems, Justice, and Engagement: Does Bullying Throw a Spanner in the Works?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-16, May.
    2. Cristian Balducci & Luca Menghini & Paul M. Conway & Hermann Burr & Sara Zaniboni, 2022. "Workaholism and the Enactment of Bullying Behavior at Work: A Prospective Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-13, February.
    3. Cristian Balducci & Chiara Rafanelli & Luca Menghini & Chiara Consiglio, 2024. "The Relationship between Patients’ Demands and Workplace Violence among Healthcare Workers: A Multilevel Look Focusing on the Moderating Role of Psychosocial Working Conditions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(2), pages 1-13, February.
    4. Yiqiong Li & Michelle R. Tuckey & Annabelle M. Neall & Alice Rose & Lauren Wilson, 2023. "Changing the Underlying Conditions Relevant to Workplace Bullying through Organisational Redesign," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-27, February.

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