Workplace Bullying: Impact on Victims and Organizations
This paper reviews Weidmer's (2010) journal article on workplace bullying and its consequences for both victims and their organizations. It defines workplace bullying, identifies who is most at risk, and outlines the primary forms the behavior takes, including verbal abuse, threatening conduct, and work sabotage. A personal scenario illustrates how bullying can persist even when reported through official channels. The paper concludes with recommendations for management, emphasizing zero-tolerance policies, employee reporting systems, and cultivating an organizational culture of mutual respect to reduce the prevalence and harm of workplace bullying.
- Introduction to Workplace Bullying: Framing workplace bullying as a modern organizational problem
- Defining Workplace Bullying and Who Is at Risk: Scholarly definition, forms, and at-risk populations
- A Personal Experience with Workplace Bullying: First-hand account of a threatening workplace email incident
- Organizational Strategies to Prevent Workplace Bullying: Zero-tolerance policies and cultural interventions for employers
- Conclusion: Summary of key findings and management recommendations
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its analysis in a specific scholarly source (Weidmer, 2010) while supplementing with additional citations, demonstrating source integration rather than reliance on a single reference.
- The inclusion of a first-person scenario effectively bridges theory and lived experience, making abstract definitions concrete and relatable.
- The paper moves logically from definition to risk identification to personal evidence to actionable recommendations, creating a coherent argument structure.
Key academic technique demonstrated
This paper demonstrates effective use of definition-anchored analysis: it opens by establishing a precise scholarly definition of workplace bullying before examining its forms, victims, and organizational implications. This technique ensures that all subsequent claims are grounded in an agreed-upon framework, which is especially useful in applied business and management writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a framing paragraph that situates workplace bullying in contemporary organizational life. It then defines the phenomenon and identifies at-risk populations, followed by a personal anecdote that applies the theory. The paper closes with concrete managerial recommendations and a brief conclusion. This four-part structure — define, illustrate, apply, recommend — is a standard format for applied review papers at the undergraduate level.
Introduction to Workplace Bullying
When most people think of bullying, they picture schoolyard toughs terrorizing helpless, weaker peers — a phenomenon that has existed for centuries. The harsh reality today, however, is that workplace bullying is equally pervasive in the American workplace. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review and summary of Weidmer's (2010) journal article concerning workplace bullying and its impact on both victims and their organizations, together with an applicable scenario drawn from personal experience, including representative bullying practices. Recommendations for management strategies to reduce the prevalence of workplace bullying are then presented, followed by a summary of key findings in the conclusion.
Defining Workplace Bullying and Who Is at Risk
While nearly three-quarters (72%) of all workplace bullying is perpetrated by individuals in positions of authority — and a majority (60%) of perpetrators are male — anyone can be a workplace bully or a victim (Weidmer, 2010). In addition, minority members and LGBTQ individuals are especially at risk of workplace bullying (Who is at risk, 2018). It is also important to note that more than one individual can be either a bully or a target.
Workplace bullying is defined by Weidmer as "the repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators" (p. 35). Workplace bullying generally assumes one or a combination of the following forms: (a) verbal abuse; (b) offensive conduct or behaviors — including nonverbal acts — that are threatening, humiliating, or intimidating; and (c) work interference, or sabotage, which prevents work from getting done (Weidmer, 2010, p. 35).
Taken together, any of these activities can make the workplace a living hell for victims, many of whom must endure the abuse due to a lack of other employment opportunities (Carden & Boyd, 2013). Just as a code exists in prisons and schoolyards that discourages reporting instances of bullying, so too is the workplace often characterized by a code of silence. This means that workplace bullying can be insidious and persistent, creating a toxic work environment for victims whose performance is invariably and adversely affected (Weidmer, 2010).
Conclusion
Organizations must take proactive steps to ensure that incidents of workplace bullying are identified and resolved at the earliest opportunity in order to minimize harm to organizational performance and to reduce associated legal risks. Key strategies include zero-tolerance policies, accessible reporting mechanisms, and the deliberate cultivation of a respectful workplace culture — all of which are essential to preventing the persistent and damaging effects that workplace bullying inflicts on individuals and organizations alike.
References
Carden, L. L., & Boyd, R. G. (2013, January 1). Workplace bullying: Utilizing a risk management framework to address bullying in the workplace. Southern Journal of Business and Ethics, 5, 8–11.
Who is at risk. (2018). U.S. Government. Retrieved from https://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/index.html
Weidmer, T. L. (2010). Workplace bullying: Costly and preventable. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 77(2), 35–41.
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