Bullying, Mobbing and Turnover ©2012 Gail Pursell Elliott

When human beings become preoccupied with survival or inebriated with power they often behave in less than civil or civilized ways towards others they view as a threat. One of the mobbing indicators listed in our book Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace is sudden losses of key individuals. Another indicator is high turnover in one department or company-wide. This does not mean that everyone is being pushed out or bullied. Not all of these people are targets. Many are those who watch what is happening and do not want to work for an organization where this is allowed to happen. A recent study of nurses by Canadian researchers verified that the impact of bullying negatively affects everyone in the department. Workers in these areas consider leaving the organization to a greater degree than previously thought.

The following description is from the study abstract: “Hierarchical linear modeling analysis of a sample of 41 hospital units and 357 nurses demonstrates that working in an environment characterized by bullying increases individual employees’ turnover intentions. Importantly, employees report similarly high turnover intentions when they are either the direct target of bullying or when they work in work units characterized by high bullying.”

Working with targets and situations, I see this trend often. Coincidentally, a recent case involved a well respected, experienced surgical nurse who moved from a large urban facility to a smaller hospital closer to home. Her knowledge of current trends, dedication to patient care and prior professional relationships with many of the attending surgeons triggered resentment on the part of the existing supervisor in her department. After she reported inconsistencies that were patient safety risks, the supervisor began a mobbing process that lasted well over a year. Colleagues who also noted these issues as well as watching the smear campaign were targeted also when they attempted to report what was happening. Turnover in that department has increased. The issue is often not just the bullying, but the organizational dynamics that allow it to persist as well as entities that cover up the issues and the situations contributing to it.

Reporting on The Development of an Educational Intervention to Address Workplace Bullying: a Pilot Study, June 2012 issue of the Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, Esther Maria Chipps PhD, RN and Mary McRury MS, RN, wrote, “Workplace bullying, specifically among nursing staff, has gained increasing attention, particularly as healthcare systems recognize the effect of teamwork on patient outcomes. Simons (2008) described workplace bullying among newly licensed registered nurses (RNs), (N-511) and the relationship of workplace bullying and intention to leave an organization. Among newly licensed RNs, 31% of the respondents surveyed indicated that they had been bullied, and this was a significant predictor of their intention to leave the organization. Among emergency room RNs, 27% of respondents in a survey reported bullying at work (Johnson & Rea, 2009).”

Bullying and Mobbing in the workplace as well as in schools has been given more consistent press time recently than it has in the past. Regardless of the reasons that organizations are becoming more aware of mobbing and bullying, this awareness is the key to creating a culture and climate that will benefit everyone in that organization. Taking a stand against this type of abuse has become more prevalent. People are talking about it, complaining about it, getting angry about it, feeling helpless about it. Is it because this type of abuse finally has recognition and a name or has the workplace changed that much? Good question for which there are many possible answers and scenarios. Some of us have noticed over the years people treating each other more as objects and opportunities rather than as human beings who are worthy and entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. Yet, there are many examples of work situations over the centuries in which people have been treated poorly with little regard to their humanity. In our era, we have chosen to think of ourselves as more civilized than in past ages but however technology advances, people have a tendency to stay the same, unless they experience deepened insight and expanded awareness.

* * * * * * Gail Pursell Elliott, “The Dignity and Respect Lady”, has over 20 years experience in middle and upper management, founded Innovations “Training With A Can-Do Attitude” in 1998, and is author of several books including School Mobbing and Emotional Abuse and co-author of the book Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace. Her weekly Food for Thought is read by people around the world. Gail trains employees for corporations, associations and universities, designs sessions upon request to address specific needs and timely issues, and is a featured speaker at conferences as well as a sought after media expert on workplace and school violence. Gail has been a guest on such programs as MSNBC’s Deborah Norville Tonight, ABC World News NOW television programs and the Workplace Violence Today program on talk radio. Contact Gail through her website: http://www.innovations-training.com