Project: Bullying in the academia and industry

Bullying in the workplace is a serious problem that occurs worldwide. In 1993, Sweden was the first country in the world to introduce an anti-bullying law. More research in this area is requested in order to develop effective interventions for both prevention as well as measures against bullying.

Studies conducted by the research group shows that individual and organizational factors such as, lack of support from co-workers, role conflicts, not being able to afford sick leave, employees' negative attitude to sickness absence, high preference for challenge and competition predicts the risk of being bullied. Emotional requirements and to get a lower position in the workplace appeared to predict the risk of being exposed to threats of violence or violence in the workplace, which in turn predicted poor self-rated health, high consumption of tranquilizers in women, and poor sleep because of work and dissatisfaction with life in men.

Material and method

The overall purpose the study is to investigate individual, structural and organizational factors that explain bullying in academic environments and to compare bullying in academia with industrial environments. In addition, to further develop an intervention model for the prevention of workplace bullying and how it can be implemented in the workplace. The study is based on data obtained from the AHA study database with questions about the psychosocial work in academic environments and industries. The data collection was carried out in 2007 (nr = 4700), 2009 (nr = 4600) and 2011 (nr = 4700). In the study we will also compare four major industry organizations with the academic material.

The results of the present study are expected to help increase awareness of bullying as a phenomenon and the reasons behind this, and to provide guidelines to actively work against bullying in academic environments and in industry.

Finance

  • AFA

Contact

Profile image

Christina Björklund

Principal Researcher
AP
Content reviewer:
Anna Persson
19-10-2023