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When the Going Gets Tough and the Environment Is Rough: The Role of Departmental Level Hostile Work Climate in the Relationships between Job Stressors and Workplace Bullying

Author

Listed:
  • Lena Zahlquist

    (BI Norwegian Business School, Kong, Chr. Frederiks gate 5, 5006 Bergen, Norway)

  • Jørn Hetland

    (BI Norwegian Business School, Kong, Chr. Frederiks gate 5, 5006 Bergen, Norway
    Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgate 12, 5020 Bergen, Norway)

  • Guy Notelaers

    (Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgate 12, 5020 Bergen, Norway)

  • Michael Rosander

    (Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden)

  • Ståle Valvatne Einarsen

    (Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgate 12, 5020 Bergen, Norway)

Abstract

In line with the work environment hypothesis, the present study investigates whether department-level perceptions of hostile work climate moderate the relationship between psychosocial predictors of workplace bullying (i.e., role conflicts and workload) and exposure to bullying behaviours in the workplace. The data were collected among all employees in a Belgian university and constitutes of 1354 employees across 134 departments. As hypothesized, analyses showed positive main effects of role conflict and workload on exposure to bullying behaviours. In addition, the hypothesized strengthening effect of department-level hostile work climate on the relationship between individual-level job demands and individual exposure to bullying behaviours was significant for role conflict. Specifically, the positive relationship between role conflict and exposure to bullying behaviours was stronger among employees working in departments characterized by a pronounced hostile work climate. In contrast to our predictions, a positive relationship existed between workload and exposure to bullying behaviours, yet only among individuals in departments with low hostile work climate. These findings contribute to the bullying research field by showing that hostile work climate may strengthen the impact of role stress on bullying behaviours, most likely by posing as an additional distal stressor, which may fuel a bullying process. These findings have important theoretical as well as applied implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Lena Zahlquist & Jørn Hetland & Guy Notelaers & Michael Rosander & Ståle Valvatne Einarsen, 2023. "When the Going Gets Tough and the Environment Is Rough: The Role of Departmental Level Hostile Work Climate in the Relationships between Job Stressors and Workplace Bullying," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4464-:d:1085753
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ståle Einarsen, 1999. "The nature and causes of bullying at work," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(1/2), pages 16-27, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Asghar Afshar Jahanshahi & Bakr Al‐Gamrh, 2024. "Beyond external pressures: How work conditions harm employees' social and environmental responsibilities," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4292-4309, July.

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