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Mobbing: Psychological Terror in the Workplace

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Mobbing: Psychological Terror in the Workplace “HENRI COANDA” “GENERAL M.R. STEFANIK” AIR FORCE ACADEMY ARMED FORCES ACADEMY ROMANIA SLOVAK REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE of SCIENTIFIC PAPER AFASES 2014 Brasov, 22-24 May 2014 MOBBING: PSYCHOLOGICAL TERROR IN THE WORKPLACE Viorel CONSTANTINESCU Association of Applied Psychology in the field of Private Security Abstract: Mobbing is a less known phenomenon in Romania, but its effects are real and worrisome. It is a form of psychological abuse in the workplace, carried out by either colleagues or superiors through repeated aggressive acts. This kind of psychological pressure frequently leads to affecting the well-being of the victim either by loss of self-esteem, feelings of victimization, depression, psychosomatic disorders, insomnia, self-destructive behavior (alcoholism), a drop in work efficiency, acute stress and post- traumatic stress. In organizations where mobbing takes place, there is an obvious decrease in productivity. In order to prevent this type of behavior, there needs to be an accurate understanding of the act of mobbing in all contexts. (organizational, professional, individual) Keywords: psychological harassment, emotional abuse, intimidation, mobbing, psychological pressure 1. INTRODUCTION become a long-term victim of a series of abuses, wrongdoings and humiliation meant to Heinz Leymann was the first psychologist to force him to leave his current job. This put forward the idea of mobbing in specialized psychological pressure should not only make literature. He borrowed the term « mobbing » him lose his position, but in most cases will from animal psychology expert Konrad also affect his health. Lorenz, who had observed and studied “Mobbing” is a type of systematic behaviors of isolation/exclusion among psychological harassment in the workplace animals, more explicitly the attacks of a group that happens every time an employee is being of smaller animals against a bigger one. harassed and stigmatized by his colleagues or The mobbing phenomenon has been studied as superiors through gossip, intimidation, early as the 1990s in several European humiliation, discrediting and isolation, countries such as the Scandinavian countries, endangering his emotional well being as well Great Britain, France, Italy and Spain. It as his professional competence. basically refers to actions of intense According to studies conducted by Kenneth psychological abuse carried out against an Westhues (2007), mobbing takes place employee with the purpose of making him predominantly in organizations where job resign his job, in the circumstances where positions are considered more secure. It is firing/relocating him would lead to legal more frequently present in the non-profit troubles for the employer. The employee can sector, education, military and medical • Inequality. This does not refer to the industry than in the private sector. organizational hierarchy. It means that the victim cannot properly defend 2. CONFLICT & MOBBING himself/herself because of an inferior position. The term “mobbing” does not refer to: • Stages are successive. - workplace banter; • Intent of persecution. The victim is - isolated instances of unethical conduct; discriminated, treated differently from - isolated conflicts in the workplace. others with the intent of making The EGE 2000 method leaves no room for him/her resign. legal argument. It consists of 7 parameters that need to be taken into account for a conflict to be considered mobbing. All 7 conditions are 3. EVOLUTION OF MOBBING mandatory when determining a case of this kind. If one of them is not fulfilled then a The act of mobbing does not happen instantly. conflict cannot be classified as mobbing. The gradual evolution of mobbing was devised These parameters are: by Leymann who identified 4 stages, of • Conflict has to happen in the preparation, of slow or precipitated evolution, workplace. The conflict that does not maturization and persistent action. take place in the workplace is not The first stage exists in every organization and considered mobbing, but straining. does not necessarily imply the occurrence of • Duration. Conflict has to last for at the other steps of evolution. It manifests itself least 6 months. Only then it can be through divergences, differences in opinion or considered a case of persistence in competitiveness, which is a normal behavior. DSM IV classifies any phenomenon and sometimes even beneficial disease lasting less than 6 months as for the progress of an organization. acute, while anything past 6 months is The second stage has elements that might considered chronic. This means that trigger the occurrence of mobbing. The mobbing is a chronic conflict. psychological balance of the person is • Frequency. Conflict has to happen a somehow threatened, self-confidence is few times every month. jeopardized, stress and anxiety become a • Existence of certain types of action. problem. A conflict may be considered mobbing The third stage is when management should if it fulfills at least 2 of the 5 categories get involved. Unfortunately, most of the time of negative actions: this either does not happen at all, or it happens o Actions against free when it is already too late and the victim has speech (person cannot express already been removed. In this case, conflicts his/her point of view , he/she is may have legal repercussions. shunned ); The final stage leads to the stigmatization, o Systematic isolation ( social isolation and the removal from the person is isolated from his/her workplace, which could make finding a new colleagues) job more difficult. o Change of tasks ( person is assigned to task above or below his/her professional 4. CAUSES OF MOBBING capacity) o Attack on reputation (gossip, Mobbing is preceded by a situation of conflict. talk behind one’s back, The probability of such a situation is increased incorrect evaluations) by the following factors: o Violence or threats of violence. “HENRI COANDA” “GENERAL M.R. STEFANIK” AIR FORCE ACADEMY ARMED FORCES ACADEMY ROMANIA SLOVAK REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE of SCIENTIFIC PAPER AFASES 2014 Brasov, 22-24 May 2014 • deficiencies in human resources • organizational culture which tolerates management; moral harassment; • workplace instability; • psychosocial factors that influence • personality traits of the victim; work psychology: the type of work • group dynamic in the organization; tasks, socio-organizational • poor relationships between work environment and work organization; colleagues; • organizational stress. • high levels of stress caused by the professional activity; • frequent organizational changes; situations where the manager chooses The factors that determine mobbing are: to leverage his authority when settling disputes, instead of identifying the • Initiation of tasks. In larger faults in the system. companies, managers have tried to design tasks as simple as possible and automatize them in such a way that less 5. EFFECTS OF MOBBING qualified staff is needed to complete them. Mobbing may appear as a result Effects may manifest in personal, professional of lack of activity or boredom. and social situations, and they are recognizable Basically, the perpetrator chooses a by: victim to pass the time. • anxiety and panic attacks; • Task management. Improper task • behavioral disorders: anorexia, management can be a trigger because alcoholism, bulimia, toxicomania; work situations inevitably generate • loss of motivation for professional conflicts. If the system is not organized activity; properly, the dispute may lead to • early medical retirement; mobbing. Improper task management • underperformance in the workplace; implies: overload of work activities for • incapability of adapting to social and an individual, both in quantity and in emotional situations. difficulty, absence of clearly defined rules and norms, work interferences. • Management of employees. If done through abuse of power, it may lead to Prevention is one of the most efficient 6. WAYS OF COMBATING MOBBING ways of combating mobbing. Other ways might include training the managers through Mobbing can be underdiagnosed educational programs or if the act of mobbing because of a tendency among specialists to has already begun, reconciling the parties with diagnose victims with work-related stress, a the help of a specialist in mediation. The last result of emphasizing the state of disease. form of intervention happens when the act of mobbing is already in full effect and it deals with the legal rehabilitation of the victim. REFERENCES 7. CONCLUSION 1. Gheondea, Alexandra et al. (2010), Fenomene specifice de discriminare la Victims of mobbing are generally described as locul de muncă, Revista “Calitatea dedicated to their work and eager to succeed. vieii, XXI, nr.1-2, p.113-136; Despite preconceptions, the victim is most of the time job oriented with a rising career. 2. Adams, Andrea (1992), Bullying at When the first signs of mobbing appear, the work, How to comfort and overcome it, victim does not fully comprehend the situation Virago Press, London; and has difficulties reacting to it. They usually 3. Bogathy, Zoltan (2002), Conflicte în need psychological and legal counseling to deal with the attacks. organizaii, Ed. Eurostampa, The affected go through physical and Timioara; psychological torment, their work capacity is 4. Harald, Ege (1996), Mobbing, Ed. diminished, self-esteem decreases drastically, Pitagora, Bologna; their socioemotional balance is altered 5. Harald, Ege (1997), Mobbing in Italia, (anxiety, depression, phobias,
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