Inside the Academic Tower: How Workplace Bullying Affects Employees in Higher Education.
Addressing the Bullying Pandemic in Higher Education
Definition of Workplace Bullying: Workplace Bullying is defined as any unwanted negative behavior directed toward an employee with the intent of causing them harm.1
Bullying in Higher Education
In today’s society, there is a tendency to believe that bullying doesn’t happen in academia because prior research focuses mainly on public organizations outside the school system. However, behind the institution's doors revealed that faculty members are under a lot of pressure and struggling to meet deadlines, including those who have become the targets of workplace bullying, including verbal, physical, and mental abuse.
Today, leaders in academia face a growing concern over toxic work behavior, which, if left unanswered, will result in employees leaving their careers in academia. Studies have shown that most bullying usually flows from a downward perspective in which the person of authority bullies the subordinate. Research also indicates workplace bullying harms health, prosperity, and professional growth. Academic bullying has also been shown to relate directly to faculty/employee burnout among those working primarily in higher education.
Bullying in higher education is a growing problem that can negatively impact students, faculty members, and the overall learning environment. Also, bullying in higher education can take many forms, including:
Verbal abuse: Faculty members may use derogatory language, insults, or demeaning comments towards students, other faculty members, or staff.
Exclusion or ostracism: Faculty members may exclude or isolate specific individuals or groups from academic and social activities, creating feelings of alienation and loneliness.
Unfair treatment: Faculty members may unfairly treat specific individuals or groups, such as giving preferential treatment to some students over others or unfairly penalizing certain students for minor infractions.
Sexual harassment: Students or faculty members may be subjected to unwanted sexual advances, comments, or behavior, creating a hostile and uncomfortable learning environment.
For bullying to be established in the workplace, a repeated pattern must occur, or the behavior cannot be defined as bullying.2 For example, bullying could be established if a professor constantly embarrasses and ridicules a junior faculty member versus a one-time event. Research showed that one of the leading causes of workplace bullying results from workplace power dynamics in which individuals fight for control over others in the organization. Additionally, this intentional grab at power can disrupt organizations when the aggressors seek to abuse others for their growth and status.
Further research indicated that human resource employees often must protect the target and the aggressor when workplace bullying is reported. These complaints are often stereotyped as personality conflicts between the aggressor and the target; however, these complaints commonly go unanswered, resulting in the loss of highly qualified employees.3 Lastly, when managers or supervisors ignore bullying complaints, it results in a loss of trust in the target of bullying and other employees.
3 Components of Bullying in Academia
Downward Bullying
Lateral Bullying
Upward Bullying
Downward bullying is the most common method of negative behavior inside academia. This type of bullying is done by a person of authority who exerts power over an individual. An example is when a senior professor constantly berates a junior professor in a meeting to make them seem incompetent.
Lateral bullying is on the rise, and this type of bullying is done by an individual of equal status or position as their target. An example of this type of bullying is mainly seen when another professor with no authority over another professor or colleague attempts to bully them.
Upwards bullying is when someone of a lower status or position bullies someone of a higher rank or position. We tend to see this type of bullying mainly targeted toward older professors/employees in academia. An example is when a new junior professor constantly attempts to bully the senior professor into undermining their authority.
Below is the data chart from my research study on the three types of bullying. As you can see, downward bullying was the most common type of bullying in academia, closely followed by lateral bullying. Also, we can see that upwards bullying is happening in academia based on the individuals who responded that a subordinate was bullying them.
Workplace bullying can significantly negatively impact employee engagement, which refers to employees' level of involvement, commitment, and motivation toward their work and organization. Some of the ways that workplace bullying can affect employee engagement include:
Decreased job satisfaction: Employees who are subjected to workplace bullying may experience decreased job satisfaction due to the harmful effects of bullying on their mental health and well-being. They may feel less motivated to do their job and may be less engaged in their work.
Increased absenteeism: Workplace bullying can lead to increased absenteeism, as employees may be more likely to miss work due to stress, anxiety, or other adverse effects of bullying.
Decreased productivity: Employees who are bullied may be less productive and may not perform at their best, which can lead to decreased engagement and performance.
Increased turnover: Workplace bullying can lead to increased turnover, as employees may choose to leave their jobs in search of a safer and more positive work environment.
Overall, bullying in academia can harm employee engagement, leading to various adverse outcomes for organizations, including decreased productivity, increased absenteeism and turnover, and decreased overall organizational performance. Universities and colleges need to take steps to prevent academic bullying and provide support for those affected by this damaging behavior. This can include implementing policies and procedures for reporting and addressing bullying incidents, providing training for faculty and staff on recognizing and preventing bullying, and offering counseling and support services for those impacted by bullying.
Let’s all work together to ensure that our workplace is safe for all employees.
Patterson, E., Branch, S., Barker, M., & Ramsay, S. (2018). Playing with power: Examinations of types of power used by staff members in workplace bullying—A qualitative interview study. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, 13(1), 32–52. https://doi.org/10.1108/QROM-10-2016-1441
Rehan, M. F., Khan, Q. I., & Mumtaz, R. (2021). Do bosses get bullied too? A qualitative investigation of causes, impacts, and treatments of upward workplace bullying. iRASD Journal of Management, 3(3), 302–309.
Osler, C. (2021). Workplace bullying: Nature, consequences, and recommended policies. Journal of Organizational Psychology, 27(2).