Flourishing in the workplace can bring about various positive outcomes for individual and organizational well-being. This study explored the interactional effect of workplace bullying on the relationship between job demands–resources and flourishing. A convenience sample of 1102 employees was selected, and these employees completed an online survey that explored this relationship. Mediation analysis revealed that low job demands were linked to lower levels of workplace bullying, which in turn correlated with higher levels of flourishing. Workplace bullying partially mediated the job demands–flourishing relationship, but not the job resources–flourishing relation. The results were interpreted based on the job demands–resources theory, followed by recommendations for practice and future research.
AkarN. (2013).
The relationships among perceived job stressors, workplace bullying and job stress in the health care services in Turkey: A structural equation modeling (SEM). International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences,
3(14), 248–257.
2.
AstrauskaiteM.NotelaersG.MedisauskaiteA.KernR. M. (2015).
Workplace harassment: Deterring role of transformational leadership and core job characteristics. Scandinavian Journal of Management,
31, 121–135. doi:10.1016/j.scaman.2014.06.001
3.
BaillienE.NeyensI.De WitteH.De CuyperN. (2009).
A qualitative study on the development of workplace bullying: Towards a three-way model. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology,
19(1), 1–16. doi:10.1002/casp.977
4.
Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2003). Dual processes at work in a call centre: An application of the job demands-resources model. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 12(4), 393--417.
5.
BakkerA. B. (2011).
An evidence-based model of work engagement. Current Directions in Psychological Science,
20, 265–269. doi:10.1177/0963721411414534
6.
BakkerA. B.DemeroutiE. (2007).
The Job Demands–Resources model: State of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology,
22(3), 309–328. doi:10.1108/02683940710733115
7.
BakkerA. B.DemeroutiE. (2014). Job demands-resources theory. In CooperC.ChenP. (Eds.), Wellbeing: A complete reference guide (pp. 37–64).
Chichester, England:
Wiley-Blackwell.
8.
BakkerA. B.DemeroutiE. (2018). Multiple levels in job demands-resources theory: Implications for employee well-being and performance. In DienerE.OishiS.TayL. (Eds.), Handbook of well-being (pp. 1–13).
Salt Lake City, UT:
DEF.
9.
BaldryA. C.FarringtonD. P.SorrentinoA. (2017).
School bullying and cyberbullying among boys and girls: Roles and overlap. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma,
26(9), 937–951. doi:10.1080/10926771.2017.1330793
10.
BalducciC.FraccaroliF.SchaufeliW. B. (2011).
Workplace bullying and its relation with work characteristics, personality, and post-traumatic stress symptoms: An integrated model. Anxiety, Stress and Coping: An International Journal,
24(5), 499–513. doi:10.1080/10615806.2011.555533
11.
BartlettJ. E.BartlettM. E. (2011).
Workplace bullying: An integrative literature review. Advances in Developing Human Resources,
13(1), 69–84. doi:10.1177/1523422311410651.
12.
BentlerP. M.BonettD. G. (1980).
Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures. Psychological Bulletin,
88(3), 588–606. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.88.3.588
13.
Brauchli, R., Jenny, G. J., Füllemann, D., & Bauer, G. (2015). Towards a job demands-resources health model: Empirical testing with generalizable indicators of job demands, job resources, and comprehensive health outcomes. BioMed Research International, 4, 1--12.
14.
Bollen, K. & Pearl, J. Eight myths about causality and structural models. In S. L. Morgan (Ed.), Handbook of Causal Analysis for Social Research (pp. 301--328). New York: Springer.
15.
BrewerG.WhitesideE. (2012).
Workplace bullying and stress within the prison service. Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research,
4(2), 76–85. doi:10.1108/17596591211208283
16.
CarterM.ThompsonN.CramptonP.MorrowG.BurfordB.GrayC.IllingJ. (2013).
Workplace bullying in the UK NHS: A questionnaire and interview study on prevalence, impact and barriers to reporting. BMJ Open,
3(6), 1–12. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002628
17.
CoetzeeM.OosthuizenR. M. (2017).
Work-role psychosocial flourishing: Its mediation role on workplace bullying and employee turnover intention. Journal of Psychology in Africa,
27(3), 211–125.
18.
CrimpH. (2017). Insights into effective interventions for the prevention and management of workplace bullying in the New Zealand public service (Unpublished master’s dissertation). Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
19.
Daniels, K., Watson, D., & Gedikli, C. (2017). Well-being and the social environment of work: A systematic review of intervention studies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(8), 9--18.
20.
DemeroutiE.BakkerA. B.NachreinerF.SchaufeliW. (2001).
The Job Demands-Resources Model of burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology,
86(3), 499–512.
21.
De Braine, R. & Roodt, G. (2011). The job demands-resources model as predictor of work identity and work engagement: A comparative analysis. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 37(2), 1--11.
22.
DiedericksE. (2012). Flourishing of employees in the information technology industry of South Africa (Unpublished doctoral thesis). North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa.
23.
DienerE.WirtzD.TovW.Kim-PrietoC.ChoiD.OishiS.Biswas-DienerR. (2010).
New wellbeing measures: Short scales to assess flourishing and positive and negative feelings. Social Indicators Research,
97, 143–156. doi:10.1007/s11205-009-9493-y
24.
EinarsenS.HoelH.ZapfD.CooperC. L. (2011). Bullying and harassment in the workplace: Developments in theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.).
Boca Raton, FL:
Taylor & Francis.
25.
EinarsenS.NielsenM. B. (2015).
Workplace bullying as an antecedent of mental health problems: A five-year prospective and representative study. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health,
88(2), 131–142. doi:10.1007/s00420-014-0944-7
26.
Einarsen, S., Hoel, H., & Notelaers, G. (2009). Measuring exposure to bullying and harassment at work: Validity, factor structure and psychometric properties of the negative acts questionnaire-revised. Work and Stress, 23(1), 24--44. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678370902815673
27.
EscartinJ.ZapfD.ArrietaC.Rodriquez-CarballeiraA. (2010).
Workers’ perception of workplace bullying: A cross-cultural study. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology,
20(2), 1–28. doi:10.1080/13594320903395652
28.
FahieD.DevineD. (2014).
The impact of workplace bullying on primary school teachers and principals. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research,
58(2), 235–252. doi:10.1080/00313831.2012.725099.
29.
FapohundaT. (2013).
Managing workplace bullying. Journal of Human Resource Management,
1(3), 39–47.
30.
FoxS.CowanR. L. (2015).
Being pushed and pulled: A model of US HR professionals’ roles in bullying situations. Personnel Review,
44(1), 119–139. doi:10.1108/PR-11-2013-0210
31.
HansenA. M.HoghA.PerssonR. (2011).
Frequency of bullying at work, physiological response and mental health. Journal of Psychosomatic Research,
70(1), 19–27. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2010.05.010
32.
HartP. M.CottonP.ScollayC. E. (2015). Flourishing at work: Improving wellbeing and engagement. In BurkeR. J.PageK. M.CooperC. (Eds.), Flourishing life, work and careers: Individual wellbeing and career experiences.
Cheltenham, England:
Edward Elgar.
33.
HayesA. F. (2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach.
New York, NY:
Guilford.
34.
HoneL. C.JardenA.SchofieldG. M.DuncanS. (2014).
Measuring flourishing: The impact of operational definitions on the prevalence of high levels of wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing,
4(1), 62–90.
35.
HuppertF. A.SoT. (2013).
Flourishing across Europe: Application of a new conceptual framework for defining well-being. Social Indicators Research,
110(3), 837–861. doi:10.1007/s11205-011-9966-7
36.
KakoulakisC.GalanakisM.Bakoula-TzoumakaC.DarvyriP.ChroussosG.DarvyriC. (2015).
Validation of the Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ) in a sample of Greek teachers. Psychology,
6, 63–74. doi:10.4236/psych.2015.61007
37.
KeyesC. L. M. (2005).
Mental illness and/or mental health? Investigating axioms of the complete state model of health. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology,
73(3), 539–548.
38.
KeyesC. L. M. (2006).
The subjective well-being of America’s youth: Towards a comprehensive assessment. Adolescent and Family Health,
4(1), 3–11.
39.
KeyesC. L. M. (2007).
Promoting and protecting mental health as flourishing: A complementary strategy for improving mental health. American Psychologist,
62(2), 95–108.
40.
KhanA.KhanR. (2012).
Understanding and managing workplace bullying. Industrial and Commercial Training,
44(2), 85–89. doi:10.1108/00197851211202911
41.
KivimakiM.VirtanenM.VartiaM.ElovainioM.VahteraJ.KeltikangasJ., L. (2003).
Workplace bullying and the risk of cardiovascular disease and depression. Occupational and Environmental Medicine,
60(10), 779–783. doi:10.1136/oem.60.10.779
42.
LawR.DollardM. F.TuckeyM. R.DormannC. (2011).
Psychosocial safety climate as a lead indicator of workplace bullying and harassment, job resources, psychological health and employee engagement. Accident Analysis and Prevention,
43(5), 1782–1793. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2011.04.010
43.
MartinS.KleinA. (2013).
The presumption of mutual influence in occurrences of workplace bullying: Time for change. Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research,
5(3), 147–155. doi:10.1108/JACPR-03-2013-0008
44.
MeloniM.AustinM. (2010).
Implementation and outcomes of a zero tolerance of bullying and harassment program. Australian Health Review,
35(1), 92–94. doi:10.1071/AH10896
45.
MinerK. N.CortinaL. M. (2016).
Observed workplace incivility toward women, perceptions of interpersonal injustice, and observer occupational well-being: Differential effects for gender of the observer. Frontiers in Psychology,
7, 482–494. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00482
46.
MonksC. P.CoyneI. (2011). Bullying in different contexts.
Cambridge, England:
Cambridge University Press.
47.
NetoM.FerreiraA. I.MartinezL. F.FerreiraP. C. (2017).
Workplace bullying and presenteeism: The path through emotional exhaustion and psychological wellbeing. Annals of Work Exposures and Health,
61(5), 528–538. doi:10.1093/annweh/wxx022
48.
NielsenM. B.EinarsenS. (2012).
Outcomes of exposure to workplace bullying: A meta-analytic review. Work and Stress,
26(4), 309–332. doi:10.1080/02678373.2012.734709
49.
NielsenM. B.GlasoL.MatthiesenS. B.EidJ.EinarsenS. (2013).
Bullying and risk-perception as health hazards on oil rigs. Journal of Managerial Psychology,
28(4), 367–383. doi:10.1108/JMP-12-2012-0395
50.
NielsenM. B.MagerøyN.GjerstadJ.EinarsenS. (2014).
Workplace bullying and subsequent health problems. The Journal for the Norwegian Medical Association,
134(12-13), 1233–1238. doi:10.4045/tidsskr.13.0880
51.
NotelaersG. (2010). Workplace bullying: A risk control perspective (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
52.
NotelaersG.BaillienE.De WitteH.EinarsenS.VermuntJ. K. (2013).
Testing the strain hypothesis of the demand control model to explain severe bullying at work. Economic and Industrial Democracy,
34, 69–87. doi:10.1177/0143831X12438742
53.
PateJ.BeaumontP. (2010).
Bullying and harassment: A case of success?.Employee Relations,
32(2), 171–183. doi:10.1108/01425451011010113
54.
QureshiM. I.RasliA. M.ZamanK. (2014).
A new trilogy to understand the relationship among organizational climate, workplace bullying and employee health. Arab Economic and Business Journal,
9(2), 133–146. doi:10.1016/j.aebj.2014.05.009
55.
ReknesI.EinarsenS.KnardahlS.LauB. (2014).
The prospective relationship between role stressors and new cases of self-reported workplace bullying. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology,
55(1), 45–52. doi:10.1111/sjop.12092
56.
Rodrígues-MuñozA.AntinoM.Sanz-VergelA. I. (2017).
Cross-domain consequences of workplace bullying: A multi-source daily dairy study. Work and Stress,
31(3), 297–314. doi:10.1080/02678373.2017.1330782
57.
RothmannS.StrydomM.MostertK. (2006).
A psychometric evaluation of the job demands-resources scale in South Africa. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology,
32(4), 76–86.
58.
RovaiA. P.BakerJ. D.PontonM. K. (2014). Social science research design and statistics: A practitioner’s guide to research methods and IBM SPSS analysis.
Chesapeake, VA:
Watertree Press.
59.
SalinD. (2015).
Risk factors of workplace bullying for men and women: The role of the psychosocial and physical work environment. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology,
56(1), 69–77. doi:10.1111/sjop.12169
60.
SamnaniA.SinghP. (2014).
Performance-enhancing compensation practices and employee productivity: The role of workplace bullying. Human Resource Management Review,
24(1), 5–16.
61.
SchaufeliW. B.BakkerA. B. (2004).
Job demands, job resources, and their relationship with burnout and engagement: A multi-sample study. Journal of Organizational Behavior,
25(3), 293–315. doi:10.1002/job.248
62.
SchwickerathJ.ZapfD. (2011). Inpatient treatment of bullying victims. In EinarsenS.HoelH.ZapfD.CooperC. (Eds.), Bullying and harassment in the workplace: Developments in theory, research, and practice (pp. 397–421).
London, England:
Taylor & Francis.
63.
SeligmanM. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being.
New York, NY:
Free.
64.
ShroutP. E.BolgerN. (2002).
Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: New procedures and recommendations. Psychological Methods,
7(4), 422–445.
65.
SmitD. M. D.PlessisJ. V. D. (2016).
Why should we care? Bullying in the American and South African workplace. International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations,
32(2), 161–196.
66.
SpagnoliP.SpagnoliP.BalducciC.BalducciC. (2017).
Do high workload and job insecurity predict workplace bullying after organizational change?International Journal of Workplace Health Management,
10(1), 2–12. doi:10.1108/IJWHM-05-2016-0038
67.
TehraniN. (2012). Workplace bullying: Symptoms and solutions.
London, England:
Routledge.
68.
TehseenS.RamayahT.SajilanS. (2017).
Testing and controlling for common method variance: A review of available methods. Journal of Management Sciences,
4(2), 142–168. doi:10.20547/jms.2014.1704202
69.
TsunoK.KawakamiN.InoueA.AbeK. (2010).
Measuring workplace bullying: Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Negative Acts Questionnaire. Journal of Occupational Health,
52(4), 216–260. doi:10.1539/joh.L10036
70.
Van den BroeckA.BaillienE.De WitteH. (2011).
Workplace bullying: A perspective from the Job Demands-Resources Model. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology,
37(2), 1–12. doi:10.1016/j.hrmr.2013.08.013
71.
Van HeugtenK. (2010).
Bullying of social workers: Outcomes of a grounded study into impacts and interventions. British Journal of Social Work,
40(2), 638–655. doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcp003
72.
WissingM. P.TemaneQ. M. (2013). Feeling good, functioning well and being true/good: Reflections on selected findings from the FORT research programme. In WissingM. P. (Ed.), Well-being research in South Africa (pp. 225–250).
Dordrecht, The Netherlands:
Springer.
73.
WuA. D.ZumboB. D. (2007).
Decoding the meaning of factorial invariance and updating the practice of multi-group confirmatory factor analysis: A demonstration with TIMSS data. Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation,
12, 1–26.
