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Workaholism and the Enactment of Bullying Behavior at Work: A Prospective Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Cristian Balducci

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

  • Luca Menghini

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

  • Paul M. Conway

    (Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, 1353 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Hermann Burr

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

  • Sara Zaniboni

    (Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
    Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland)

Abstract

Despite the fact that workaholism and workplace aggressive behavior share many correlates, such as neuroticism, hostility, and negative affectivity, little is known about their relationship, with most evidence on both phenomena coming from cross-sectional studies. In the present study, we contributed to a better understanding of the antecedents of enacted workplace bullying behavior (i.e., perpetration of bullying), and the potential interpersonal implications of workaholism, by investigating their cross-lagged relationship. Data from a two-wave one-year panel study conducted with 235 employees in a national healthcare service organization showed substantial cross-sectional and cross-lagged positive relationships between workaholism and enacted workplace bullying. Whereas Time 1 workaholism was a significant predictor of Time 2 enacted workplace bullying, reversed causation was not supported. To shed light on the role of a potential mechanism explaining the link between workaholism and enactment of bullying, we examined whether job-related negative affect (e.g., anger) mediated their longitudinal relationship. However, whereas increased negative affect from T1 to T2 was positively associated with T2 enacted workplace bullying, the relationship between T1 workaholism and increased job-related negative affect was not significant, contrary to the hypothesized mediation. Taken together, our findings suggest that workaholism may be an important antecedent of enacted workplace bullying. Study limitations and future perspectives are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:4:p:2399-:d:753304
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Paweł A. Atroszko & Zsolt Demetrovics & Mark D. Griffiths, 2020. "Work Addiction, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, Burn-Out, and Global Burden of Disease: Implications from the ICD-11," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-13, January.
    2. Lorenzo Avanzi & Enrico Perinelli & Michela Vignoli & Nina M. Junker & Cristian Balducci, 2020. "Unravelling Work Drive: A Comparison between Workaholism and Overcommitment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-14, August.
    3. 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.
    4. Paola Spagnoli & Nicholas J. Haynes & Liliya Scafuri Kovalchuk & Malissa A. Clark & Carmela Buono & Cristian Balducci, 2020. "Workload, Workaholism, and Job Performance: Uncovering Their Complex Relationship," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-20, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Modesta Morkevičiūtė & Auksė Endriulaitienė, 2022. "Understanding Work Addiction in Adult Children: The Effect of Addicted Parents and Work Motivation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Eleonora Russo & Pawel Atroszko & Sara Zaniboni & Stefano Toderi & Cristian Balducci, 2023. "The Relationship between Workaholism and Personal Burnout in Dual-Earner Couples: An Analysis Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-15, August.

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