Bystanders can affect workplace bullying by engaging in active or passive behaviours. However, there is a knowledge gapregarding how perceived work environment factors relate to bystander behaviour. The study aim was to investigate how job demands, and job resources are associated with bystander behaviour in workplace bullying. An online questionnaire wasdistributed to a sample of health care workers at two time points. Longitudinal data were obtained from 1144 respondents. Cross-lagged panel models were used to investigate associations between job demands, job resources, and bystander behaviours over time. The results showed that social support was positively related to active behaviours, whereas influence at work was negatively related to both active and passive behaviours. Perceived illegitimate tasks were negatively related to active and positively related to passive behaviours, whereas emotional demands had an unanticipated opposite pattern of relationships. The findings provide new information about how factors in the organisational and social work environment are associated with active and passive bystander behaviours in workplace bullying. Specifically, the results expand current understanding of workplace bullying by relating bystander behaviour to the organisational context.

BackgroundWorkplace bullying is widespread in the healthcare sector and the negative effects are well known. However, less attention has been paid to bystanders who witness bullying in the workplace. Bystanders can affect the bullying process by engaging in active, passive, or destructive behaviors. There is a need to study work-related and organizational consequences of witnessing bullying and bystander behaviors.ObjectiveThe aim was to explore how witnessed workplace bullying and bystander behaviors are associated with work-related and organizational consequences, such as perceived quality of care, work engagement, and turnover intentions, among healthcare workers over time.DesignLongitudinal design. An online questionnaire was administered twice over the course of six months.Setting(s)Employees in the healthcare sector in Sweden, such as physicians, nurses, and assistant nurses, responded to the questionnaire.Participants1144 participants provided longitudinal data.MethodsStructural equation modeling was used to explore the associations between witnessed bullying, bystander behavior, work-related and organizational factors over time.ResultsWitnessed workplace bullying (B = − 0.18, 95 % CI [− 0.23 to − 0.12]) and the bystander outsider role (B = − 0.24, 95 % CI [− 0.29 to − 0.19]) were statistically significantly related to a decrease in perceived quality of care. Work engagement was statistically significantly predicted by all three bystander roles over time; positively by the defender role (B = 0.11, 95 % CI [0.05–0.17]), and negatively by the outsider role (B = − 0.23, 95 % CI [− 0.29 to − 0.16]), and the assistant role (B = − 0.32, 95 % CI [− 0.41 to − 0.24]). The outsider role (B = 0.12, 95 % CI [0.02–0.22]), the assistant role (B = 0.17, 95 % CI [0.03–0.30]), and witnessed workplace bullying (B = 0.18, 95 % CI [0.08–0.29]), all positively predicted increased turnover intentions at a subsequent time point.ConclusionsIn addition to the direct negative impact workplace bullying has on those targeted by it, witnessing bullying and taking different bystander roles can have work-related and organizational consequences by influencing perceived care quality, employees' work engagement, and their intention to leave the organization.

Research goals and why the work was worth doing

Over the past two decades, research has demonstrated that workplace incivility is a ubiquitous work environment issue, which can have deleterious consequences for both individuals and organizations (Schilpzand et al., 2016; Cortina et al., 2017). Workplace incivility refers to low-intensity rude behavior in the workplace (Andersson & Pearson, 1999). The effects of incivility can be far-reaching, as it may spread in the workplace (Foulk et al., 2016; Holm et al., 2021). 

One promising avenue to address incivility has been the use of civility interventions. Actively promoting civility in the workplace may reduce the risk for incivility, and increase civility and respect (Leiter et al., 2011; 2012). However, recent research has shown less consistent results of civility interventions when applied in other cultural contexts than North America (e.g., Sawada et al., 2021), or in other workplaces than hospitals (e.g., Grantham, 2019). More information is therefore needed on the effects of implementing civility interventions in the workplace, particularly exploring mechanisms and moderators in the intervention process. The aim of the present study is to test the effects of an intervention aimed to increase civility in Swedish workplaces.

Theoretical background

The present study is based on the principles developed in the Civility, Respect and Engagement in the Workplace (CREW) intervention (Osatuke et al., 2013).  CREW was developed by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs in 2005. CREW was a culture-based workplace intervention promoting civility in the workplace in the departments’ VA-hospitals, with documented successful outcomes (Osatuke et al., 2009). Two research studies tested the effect of the CREW intervention in hospitals in North America, showing both short- and long-term effects of the intervention on workplace behavior, attitudes, and absence (Leiter et al., 2011; 2012). However, little is still known about how civility interventions operate in other contexts than hospitals, and which mechanisms or boundary conditions that influence the impact of civility interventions.  

Design/Methodology/Approach/Intervention

The present study has a quasi-experimental waitlist-control design. Participating workplaces are assigned to one of two conditions, an intervention condition or waitlist. The intervention group participates in a series of monthly workshops during the period of September 2022 – January 2023. The workshops address topics such as workplace culture, with the aim to promote workplace civility and reduce the risk of workplace incivility. The waitlist serves as the control group. Pre- and post-surveys are conducted to investigate possible effects of the intervention on measures of workplace (in)civility, norms for civility, social work environment factors, as well as work-related well-being. 

Results (expected)

Baseline survey data have currently been gathered from about 200 individuals across 13 workplaces in a Swedish municipality. The intervention group is currently undergoing the workshop series. The follow up post-survey is planned for January of 2023. When post-measures have been completed, possible change in measures of workplace civility, norms for civility, and workplace incivility will be explored. Change in social work environment factors, as well as work-related well-being, will also be explored. The intervention is expected to result in increased civility and norms for civility, as well as reduced incivility over time. 

Limitations

Workplaces were not assigned to the intervention or control condition via cluster randomization. Instead, it was based on practical aspects such as feasibility and scheduling in the participating organizations. Moreover, the follow-up measure is carried out only a few weeks after completion of the final workshop. Possible effects on behavior or well-being may take longer time to develop. Lastly, the measures are self-reported by participants.

Conclusions – research and or practical implications/Originality/Value

Results from the post-measure surveys will be presented at the congress. The originality of the project lies in exploring the effects of an updated version of a civility intervention, in a context outside of hospital settings in North America. The study will also provide information about potential mechanisms and moderators involved in the intervention process. Practically, the knowledge that results from the study could be of use in future attempts to improve the social work environment in workplaces by working with the workplace culture.

Relevance to the Congress Theme

The study is relevant to several of the congress themes, e.g. 6. Group dynamics, 8. Organizational design and development, 15. Stress and dysfunction, and 18. Well-being.

Relevant UN SDGs

Goal 3. Good health and well-being

Goal 8. Decent work and economic growth

Fokus för denna presentation är arbetsrelaterad mobbning och den organisatoriska kontextens betydelse för varför åskådare till mobbning agerar eller att inte agerar. Presentationen bygger på en studie accepterad för publicering i Research in Health and Nursing 2021, (Jönsson & Muhonen).  

Arbetsrelaterad mobbning skiljer sig från den mobbning som vi ser bland barn och ungdomar. Mobbning som sker på arbetsplatsen, mellan vuxna, är ofta mer subtil och inte lika lätt att identifiera. Studier visar att exponering för mobbning på arbetsplatsen har allvarliga konsekvenser för de anställdas psykiska hälsa, till exempel depression eller utbrändhet.¹ Utöver psykiska effekter vet vi också att mobbning kan påverka den fysiska hälsan, till exempel genom muskelsmärta eller huvudvärk², samt minskat välbefinnande, såsom negativ påverkan på individers allmänna tillfredsställelse.³

Inom forskningen har det under långt tid varit fokus på enbart två aktörer: den eller de som utsätter (förövare) och den eller de som är utsatta (offer). Det är inte förrän på 2000-talet som en tredje aktör uppmärksammats, nämligen åskådaren.⁴ Att vara vittne till hur en eller flera kolleger far illa på arbetsplatsen riskerar att negativt påverka den egna hälsan. Studier har visat att bevittnandet av mobbning kan upplevas som en stressfaktor i arbetet och kan på så vis påverka många fler personer än den som direkt är utsatt. Termen åskådare används för att beskriva den individ som bevittnat mobbning men som inte enbart är att betrakta som ett passivt vittne utan som en individ med möjlighet att agera.5 Det handlar alltså om att man som åskådare har ett val, att agera eller inte agera i relation till den bevittnade situationen.⁶

Syfte

Syftet med den aktuella studien var att undersöka den organisatoriska kontextens betydelse för åskådares beteende vid bevittande av arbetsplatsmobbning inom hälso- och sjukvården.

Metod

Kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med 32 anställda (läkare, sjuksköterskor, undersköterskor och fysioterapeuter) inom en av Sveriges regioner. Data samlades in mellan mars 2019 och september 2020 och analyserades med tematisk analys.

Resultat

Vid analysen identifierades tre övergripande teman: åskådarens beteenden, organisatoriska faktorer, och sociala faktorer. Deltagarna i studien upplevde ofta att åskådarna, både kollegor och chefer, var passiva i sitt agerande. De menar också att organisatoriska faktorer såsom dysfunktionell organisationskultur och brister i ledningen påverkade hur åskådaren valde att agera i de olika mobbningssituationerna. I relation till sociala faktorer var det bland annat rädsla för negativa konsekvenser, bristande medvetenhet om vad som pågick, eller ett ursäktande av mobbingbeteendet som påverkade agerandet.

Diskussion

Studier har visat att när det gäller att förebygga och förhindra trakasserier och mobbning på arbetsplatsen är åskådares beteende och ingripanden av stor betydelse.⁷ Att fokusera på åskådares roller och agerande kan exempelvis vara fördelaktigt när man utformar olika metoder eller interventioner med syfte att minska de negativa konsekvenserna av mobbning. Att även inkludera åskådarna i en mobbningssituation innebär ett mer holistiskt angreppssätt där man slutar betrakta mobbning som en fråga på individnivå och i stället ser mobbning som en fråga för hela organisationen. Genom detta perspektivskifte möjliggörs alternativa sätt att arbeta med att förebygga förekomsten av mobbning. 

Workplace bullying is a severe problem that affects individuals, organizations, and society. Although there is a growing research interest in bystanders of workplace bullying, the rationale underlying bystanders' behavior in healthcare settings requires further investigation. The aim of the current study is to explore factors that influence the behavior of bystanders to workplace bullying in the healthcare sector. Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted with 32 staff members in the healthcare sector in Sweden. Data were collected between March 2019 and September 2020 and were analyzed with thematic analysis. The participants experienced that bystanders of bullying, both colleagues and managers, were in many situations acting in a passive way. Organizational factors such as dysfunctional organizational culture and deficiencies in management affected how actively the bystanders could intervene. Additionally, a fear of negative consequences, lack of awareness of what was going on, bullying behavior being excused, and the bystander not being a member of the dominant group were social factors contributing to bystanders' passive behavior. For bystander intervention to be successful, the organization must consider bullying as a serious issue, take action, and show support for both the target and the bystander.