Manager bullying behavior is a business issue that impacts productivity and departmental survival. Organizations lack formal learning or training interventions to reduce or eliminate the prevalence of manager bullying behavior. Many organizations fail to recognize the conditions of workplace bullying resulting in significant turnover of staff, fiscal and psychological implications. Organizations do not have formal training sessions that focus on workplace bullying. Rather, they rely solely upon policies and procedures but these do little to reduce or eliminate bullying behavior. Incorporating a learning theory into employee orientation and training can greatly reduce or eliminate the prevalence of bullying behavior. Engaging both employees and organizational leaders in workplace bullying training and understanding the ramifications of workplace bullying will help reduce the bullying behavior.

1. How, Why, and When to Intervene
with a Workplace Bully
Brian Henderson, PhD, MBA
Senior Human Resources Manager
Duke University Health System

2. Workplace Bullying - Overview
• Workplace bullying is an escalating problem in the work environment and
has a negative impact on workers resulting in significant turnover.
• Workplace bullying is a persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious
or insulting behavior; abuse of power or unfair penal sanctions which makes
the recipient feel upset, threatened, humiliated or vulnerable and
undermines self-confidence, which results in stress (Lee, 2000).
• Workplace bullying is preventing empowerment in organizations and is
zapping the strength out of healthy organizations (Hannabuss, 1998).
• Workplace bullying is one of the largest topics that is employment litigated
and connected to stress at work (Rayner & Cooper, 1997).

3. Causes of Workplace Bullying
• Bullying managers have personality conflicts and lack the skills necessary
to lead others (Glendinning, 2001).
• In a flourishing economy where employment opportunities are more readily
available, bullying behavior by managers may be recognized and tolerated
(Johnston, 2010).
• Bullying has always been a part of human nature.
• A majority of bullies (80%) have high self-esteem, are emotionally strong,
and do not see anything wrong with their behavior (Elliott, 1997).
• A manager bullies an employee because of the manager’s control over that
employee (Tepper, 2000).

4. Causes of Workplace Bullying
• Poor relationships among a manager and employee not only affects the
parties involved but also impacts the morale of the entire organization,
affecting attitudes of employees not specifically involved in the problem
(Frandsen, 2009; Heames and Harvey, 2006).
• A poor management style results in a strained relationship between a
manager and employees.
• Contributing organizational factors of bullying include: poor leadership,
negative working environment, organizational change, and power (Bowie,
2002).

5. Effects of Bullying on Employees and the Organization
• Job dissatisfaction, physical stress, and a decline in mental health all
have a negative effect on employees and workplace productivity (Namie
and Namie, 2003).
• Studies have established a link between the strain and stress employees
feel with bullying and violence resulting in lower commitment to their job,
lower productivity, and high turnover (Hoobler and Swanberg, 2006).
• Bullies corrupt the working environment with low morale, fear, anger, and
anxiety (Canada Safety Council, 2002; Vartia-Vaananen, 2003).
• Abusive supervision can make targets cautious and distrustful not only of
the abusive manager but coworkers, especially if coworkers offer support
to the target (Tepper, Duffy, Hoobler, and Ensley, 2004).

6. What is the Problem?
• A work environment inclusive of positive relationships between managers
and employees results in less absenteeism, greater productivity, and a higher
level of efficiency (Berson and Linton, 2005).
• The impact of poor relationships among a manager and employee not only
affects the parties involved but also impacts the morale of the entire
organization, affecting attitudes of employees not specifically involved in the
problem (Frandsen, 2009; Heames and Harvey, 2006).
• Manager bullying behavior is a business issue that impacts productivity and
departmental survival.
• Leaders must have data to make decisions and view the impact of
relationships to the organization’s bottom line to develop strategies for
improvement (Thornbury, 2003).

7. How to Reduce Bullying Behavior
• Have a unified definition of workplace bullying (pre-existing knowledge).
• Both individuals and/or organizational leaders are engaged and acknowledge that
workplace bullying has occurred.
• The ramifications of bullying to both an individual and organization are understood.
• Group discussions or communication allow for open dialogue of workplace bullying.
• Acknowledge and inform others that bullying has occurred.
• Simulations are used to help construct new meaning on workplace bullying.
• Questionnaires are used at assessing the conceptual meaning of the topics of
workplace bullying.

8. How to Reduce Bullying Behavior
• Organizations do not have formal training sessions that focus on workplace
bullying.
• Organizations rely solely upon policies and procedures but these do little to
reduce or eliminate bullying behavior.
• Incorporating a learning theory into employee orientation and training can
greatly reduce or eliminate the prevalence of bullying behavior.
• Engaging employee and organizational leaders, the organizational culture
may adapt to eliminating bullying in the workplace.
• Educating the workforce on the implications of workplace bullying should
help reduce or eliminate the behavior.

9. 20 Minute Discussion
• Do you feel that you have been a victim or target of bullying? Why?
• What actions could your organization take to help reduce bullying
behavior?
• What can you do as an individual contributor to the organization to help
reduce bullying behavior?

10. Questions?

11. References
Berson, Y., & Linton, J. D. (2005). An examination of the relationship between
leadership style, quality and employee satisfaction in R&D versus administrative
environments. R&D Management, 35, 51-61.
Bowie, V. (2002). Defining violence at work: A new typology. Cullompton,
England: Willan.
Canada Safety Council. (2002). Bullying in the workplace.
Elliott, M. (1997). 101 ways to deal with bullying. London, England: Hodden &
Stoughton.
Frandsen, B. (2009). Overcoming workplace negativity. Long-Term Living, 58(3),
26-27.
Glendinning, P. M. (2001). Workplace bullying: Curing the cancer of the
American workplace. Public Personnel Management, 30(3), 269-284.

12. References
Hannabuss, S. (1998) Bullying at work. Library Management, 19(5), 304.
Heames, J., & Harvey, M. (2006). Workplace bullying: A cross-level assessment.
Management Decisions, 44(9), 1214-1230.
Hoobler, J. M., & Swanberg, J. (2006). The enemy is not us: Unexpected
workplace violence trends. Public Personnel Management, 35(3), 229-246.
Johnston, S. M. (2010). Reacting to abusive managerial behavior: A qualitative
phenomenological study. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Phoenix).
Lee, D. (2000). An analysis of workplace bullying in the UK. Personnel Review
29(5). Pg. 593.
Namie, G., & Namie, R. (2003). The bully at work: What you can do to stop the
hurt and reclaim your dignity on the job. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.

13. References
Rayner, C., Hoel, H., & Cooper, C. L. (2002). Workplace bullying. What we know, who is
to blame, and what can we do? London, England: Taylor and Francis.
Tepper, B. J. (2000). Consequences of abusive supervision. Academy of Management
Journal, 43(2), 178-190.
Tepper, B. J., Duffy, M. K., Hoobler, J., & Ensley, M. D. (2004). Moderators of the
relationships between coworkers’ organizational citizenship behavior and fellow
employees’ attitudes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(3), 455-465.
Thornbury, T. (2003). Creating a living culture: The challenges for business leaders.
Corporate Governance, 3(2), 68-79.
Vartia-Vaananen, M. (2003). Workplace bullying: A study on the work environment, well-
being and health. Unpublished dissertation, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.