Presence of Psychological Violence (Mobbing) in the Workplace

The present work is dedicated to researching socially undesirable phenomena in the work environment. It focused on phenomena such as: bullying, psychological harassment, gossiping, spreading rumours, intimidation and insults. Through the research findings, she came to the realisation that the respondents are very well aware and also recognise the mentioned phenomena. Despite the fact that the survey was anonymous, many people called me, they were interested in the survey results. Above all, she is very satisfied that the results are also of interest to our human resources department, which gave consent for the survey to be conducted in the company.

Problem

The present work is dedicated to researching socially undesirable phenomena in the work environment. It focused on phenomena such as: bullying, psychological harassment, gossiping, spreading rumours, intimidation and insults.

Solution and Method

Through the research findings, she came to the realisation that the respondents are very well aware and also recognise the mentioned phenomena. It turned out that a relatively high percentage of respondents have already experienced the role of victim.

Results

Despite the fact that the survey was anonymous, many people called me, they were interested in the survey results. Above all, she is very satisfied that the results are also of interest to our human resources department, which gave consent for the survey to be conducted in the company. I cannot define mobbing in the workplace merely as "violence against women", but rather as violence against an employed person regardless of gender.

Given the response or participation, one could indeed conclude that mobbing in the workplace is still viewed merely as violence against women, as the vast majority of survey participants are female. The analysis shows that mobbing is not only connected with persons with lower education. Quite the contrary, as a problem it is widespread among higher and highly educated persons.

Of course, this may be a consequence of greater awareness or consciousness of one's rights. I can conclude that due to cultural-historical heritage and the role of the male gender in society, many forms of mobbing are viewed as something normal. I assume that the problem of mobbing in the workplace will be appropriately recognised only when this is perceived as a universal attack on personality regardless of gender.

Surprising are the results or answers of participants about how they feel at work – question number 6. More than half of the participants do not feel good at work, they go to work because they have to. Given this information, the employer must take appropriate action, as such a state of mind can be the beginning of the end of successful business operations of the company.

The analysis of answers to question 7 clearly shows the great weight or importance of good feeling in the workplace. The importance of salary is naturally at the top, especially due to the situation in which society as a whole finds itself. Material existence is understandably of key importance for the individual.

Important to the author seems the fact that the importance of praise and trust is in a high place for the majority of participants, which again emphasises the importance of good feeling and relationships in the workplace. The same values emerge from the fact that negative relationships in the workplace are conditioned by intrigues, envy and poor relationships, as emerges from the answers to question no. 8.

Unexpectedly, a large number assess that competition negatively affects the working atmosphere at work. I can conclude that their environment still does not understand competitiveness as a positive element, as a driver of development. The fact that the vast majority of participants detected intentional forms of violence is very worrying.

It indicates that a certain pattern of behaviour is widespread, therefore additional activities will be needed to raise awareness of everyone and each individual in their society. According to the unanimous opinion of all participants, leading workers are key to preventing mobbing. I do not wish to polemicise with such a position, however I believe that the importance, power and role of the aware individual and group in preventing mobbing are being underestimated.

It is not enough just to wait for leaders, proactive action is needed at all levels. The consequences of mobbing are diverse, as shown by the answers to question no. 13.

In any case, they mostly manifest in the psychological state of the victim (nervousness, depression). Information about mobbing remains in a narrow circle of people – mostly people confide in family members, very rarely in colleagues. There exists a fear of speaking about mobbing.

Mobbing in the workplace directly affects human dignity and impacts the affected individual in every situation. The individual does not function as a creative and connecting part of the community, becomes withdrawn and increasingly a burden on society. Withdrawal, non-communication about mobbing negatively affects not only productivity in the workplace but often also personal relationships in the family.

Because the problem of mobbing in the workplace is a complex phenomenon, it is clear that we must approach it in an interdisciplinary manner, in joint action of all interested parties. That is, professional institutions, state bodies, civil initiative organisations and public information media. In this, leading workers in companies must contribute their part.

The survey showed the participants' conviction about the key role of leaders in the company in preventing mobbing in the workplace. Even if I take into account the subjective side of the survey participants, leading workers are undoubtedly of key importance for success in the fight against mobbing. The fight against mobbing should be in the interest of leaders in the company, as mobbing in most cases means a negative atmosphere in the company.

For successful business operations of the company, a positive atmosphere is key, as it stimulates employees to take that "additional step" both in the segment of creativity and productivity. Public information media have an important role in the fight against mobbing. Not only in sensationalist reporting about individual cases, but above all in explaining mobbing, its manifestations and negative consequences for society as a whole.

In raising awareness of everyone and each individual. Mobbing is part of the present. As such, we must accept it and also confront it.