Abstract
Orientation:
Workplace bullying is a sensitive social phenomenon that requires in-depth research, enabling participants to share their perceptions and experiences. Human resources (HR) departments play an essential role in addressing workplace issues such as workplace bullying. This study investigates the prevalence of workplace bullying, examines existing policies and legislation, and recommends guidelines for HR departments in organisations to effectively tackle the issue.
Research Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to propose a comprehensive workplace bullying framework, aimed at understanding the prevalence of workplace bullying and identifying contributing factors. This framework was designed to address the current state of workplace bullying in South African organisations and incorporated effective strategies identified in the literature and from participants to support its implementation.
Motivation for the study:
Current organisational policies and procedures are often insufficient to address workplace bullying. This study seeks to identify gaps in existing policies and legislation that prevent organisations from effectively managing workplace bullying.
Research approach/design and method:
A qualitative research approach was utilised to investigate the complexities of workplace bullying and the organisational policies designed to address it. The interview-based data collection provided in-depth and detailed information for this research. A purposive sampling technique was employed, with HR practitioners as participants, as they able to provide relevant insights to address the research questions and objectives.
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Main findings:
The study revealed that organisations merely rely on policies, employee wellness programmes, and grievance procedures which are not sufficient, however, organisations need to find effective ways to address these methods and procedures to reduce workplace bullying phenomenon.
Practical implications/managerial implications: This study concludes that organisations understand the necessity of interventions, policies, training, and procedures used to address workplace bullying. As the literature indicates unresolved conflicts and indirect bullying can lead to more severe forms of bullying, including physical violence. Therefore, implementing early detection and intervention policies is essential to mitigate these risks.
Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to the limited research on workplace bullying and offers recommendations for South African organisations on implementing a comprehensive framework to address workplace bullying policies. It fills a knowledge gap regarding how HR practitioners can facilitate the development and implementation of these policies.