Workplace bullying: impacts on employee effectiveness and organizational performance

Interviews are a common and largely preferred form of data gathering in research. Not only are they considered to be simple to undertake, but it makes it possible to obtain detailed information regarding the information being researched and investigated on. In particular, face-to-face interviews have for a very prolonged time been the overriding technique and approach for interviewing particularly in qualitative research. The participant in the interview is a work colleague and the topic of the interview encompasses bullying in the workplace. To prepare for the interview, I ensured that there was a good and comfortable ambiance. I ensured that all the tools necessitated for the interview together with the guiding questions were ready. In addition, I also provided the participant with ample time to prepare and be ready for the interview (Opdenakker, 2006). The interview undertaken would be face-to-face and semi-structured. This will enable the researcher to be able to examine and probe the participant for comprehensive and detailed information as the interview continues. The data would be gathered using an audio recorder and thereafter transcribed. This is to ascertain that all data has been captured.

Guiding Questions and Interview Answers

Interview Questions

1. How would you describe your experience with bullying in the workplace?

2. What can you tell me about the impact of bullying on workplace effectiveness?

3. Does it impact the effectiveness of the organization as a whole?

4. Is this a prevalent aspect in the workplace?

5. Does workplace bullying solely cover the subordinates or does it cover the managers as well?

6. How would you describe the cause of bullying in the workplace?

7. What is your opinion of bullying in the workplace

8. In what ways do you think the organization can resolve and diminish bullying in the workplace?

Interview Answers

1. How would you describe your experience with bullying in the workplace?

Bullying in the workplace is a disparaging experience in the workplace. I have experienced not only verbal abuse but also threats and intimidation. This has come from supervisors in the workplace who insisted on wanting to be done in a certain aspect even when wrong.

2. What can you tell me about the impact of bullying on workplace effectiveness?

Without doubt, bullying has an adverse impact on the effectiveness in the workplace. When an individual experiences abusive conduct, it is not possible to get work done. As an employee, it reduces morale and also limits the prospect of accomplishing tasks.

3. Does it impact the effectiveness of the organization as a whole?

If not dealt with properly, bullying impacts the effectiveness on the organization as a whole. This is largely for the reason that if every individual in a certain department is unable to undertake the set tasks in an efficient manner, then the poor performance of such employees and department influence the efficaciousness of the organization at large.

4. Is this a prevalent aspect in the workplace?

Bullying continue to be a prevalent aspect in the workplace. This is in the sense that supervisors continue to feel that they have power and authority to partake in abusive conduct. For instance, managers will have that they have the power within the organization to hand out threats and intimidations to subordinates.

5. Does workplace bullying solely cover the subordinates or does it cover the managers as well?

Workplace bullying affects all individuals in the workplace regardless of rank and position.

6. How would you describe the cause of bullying in the workplace?

There are several aspects that give rise to bullying in the workplace. One of these aspects is handing immense power to certain individuals and tolerating aggressive behavior. Secondly, high stress levels and demands as well have a negative impact on personnel as it instigates them to partake in bullying to achieve such demanding tasks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the overall process of conducting the interview was productive and successful. The data was documented using an audio tape, which was recorded during the course of the interview. From a positive perspective, the general experience of the interview was constructive. Taking into consideration that the interviewee is a colleague, he was more comfortable during the process and therefore provided more detailed information being asked during the interview. In addition, having already set up the interviewing space, the calming setting was beneficial in conducting the interview. In addition, using the tape offered more accurate and precise information in comparison to taking notes. However, the negative experience of the interview is that it was considerably time consuming. In addition, owing to the fact that the interviewee knew the interviewer then there is the downside of subconscious bias (Alshenqeeti, 2014).