CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Bullying has numerous definitions, and it comes in a variety of forms, styles, and sizes. It is typically characterized as hostile activity toward someone with the deliberate aim to hurt, placing the targeted victim in a position from which he cannot protect himself (Needham 2003). Though bullying is a prevalent occurrence in schools and colleges, the most typical subject is student-student bullying or a teacher bullying a student. Much study has been conducted on bullying in schools, but it has primarily focused on students and their rights. Teachers are not given the attention they deserve, despite the fact that they, too, may be victims of bullying (Field 2018). Targeted teachers who face harsh public scrutiny and teasing from workplace bullies may feel humiliated, losing self-confidence and doubting their abilities, resulting in an excessive anxiety of performing their duties in school and maintaining connections with students and colleagues.
While most researchers appeared to agree that frequent workplace dispute or harassment classified it as workplace bullying. Olsen (2010) went on to say that workplace bullying included four components: (i) unwanted, (ii) unwarranted, (iii) repeated, and (iv) harmful behavior. As a result, as Hor (2012) admitted, when the behavior was neither serious nor persistent, it was unlikely to be deemed to be an instance of workplace bullying. Olsen (2010) also highlighted that the word “workplace bullying” disturbed some people, but he maintained that the conduct was more insulting and a shame to the concept of a civilised society. According to Einarsen (2011), other terms for workplace bullying include ‘mobbing at work,’ which is used in Scandinavian and German countries, and ‘bullying at work,’ which is used in English-speaking countries. Pinkos-Cobb (2012) said that ‘status blind harassment’ was another word for workplace bullying. Some authors, however, distinguish workplace bullying from mobbing. Workplace bullying, according to the Workplace Bullying Institute (2012), was one-on-one harassment, whereas mobbing involved numerous perpetrators ganging up on a single target. After synthesizing the many definitions investigated, the working definition for this study is that workplace bullying is a significant and persistent abuse of an employee or employees in the workplace that may cause harm to the recipient.
According to Needham (2003), workplace bullying is difficult to control since it frequently occurs secretly, often out of sight of bosses and coworkers. Bullying and general harassment are significantly more common than other harmful behaviors protected by law, such as sexual harassment and racial discrimination (Namie, 2006). Employers pay a high price for bullies.
Serial bullies can cause inefficiency, disorder, and strife throughout entire organizations. Workplace bullying is a serious issue that affects both organizations and individuals. Workplace bullying can impair a target’s ability to execute his or her job, which can have an influence on an organization’s financial success. Targets were subjected to various sorts of mistreatment by bullies, and whether or not targets were able to acquire assistance from company representatives to ease or halt the hostile bullying behavior. The association between a bullying environment and a beneficial outcome has never been studied before (Oade, 2009). Although workplace bullying of adults has existed for many years, it has only recently been acknowledged as a substantial problem. With this identification comes an understanding of the problem’s ubiquity and gravity (Kitt, 2004). Human resource managers are becoming aware of the productivity costs associated with this type of aggressive behavior (Sutton, 2007).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Workplace bullying is a problem in many organizations today, regardless of size or industry. This antisocial behavior faces organizations in both industrialized and developing countries, with well-documented effects in the scientific literature. Individually, bullying can lead to suicidal ideation, loss of self-esteem, and self-image (Djukorvik, 2004), high stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, sleep disturbances, and increased depression (Salin, 2003), unhappiness, anxiety, withdrawal, and excessive caution, all of which can impair an employee’s performance (Hoel & Cooper, 2003). It has a negative impact on employee dedication, job satisfaction, absenteeism, and turnover at the organizational level (Oghojafor, 2012). Though difficult to describe, workplace bullying could be defined as “any situations in which one or more persons over time feel subjected to unpleasant conduct against which one cannot defend oneself.” Workplace bullying is common and has the potential to have a negative impact on an employee’s performance. Employees who are bullied on the job, as well as those who work with bullies, take sick leave at a higher rate than those who are not tormented on the job. Although bullying has been a prominent area of study since the mid-1990s, the relationship between workplace bullying and job performance is not well understood. This study therefore investigates the consequences of workplace bullying and the impact it has on teacher performance.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of workplace bullying on teachers performance. Specifically, this study seeks to:
i.         Determine the causes of workplace bullying on teachers
ii.       Determine if workplace bullying affects teachers performance
iii.     Examine the effects of workplace bullying on teachers generally.
iv.     To proffer solutions on how workplace bullying on teachers can be stopped
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions will guide this study:
i.         What are the causes of workplace bullying on teachers?
ii.       Does workplace bullying affect teachers performance?
iii.     What are the effects of workplace bullying on teachers generally?
iv.     What are the solutions proffered on how workplace bullying on teachers can be stopped?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be crucial since workplace bullying is very rampant and costs employers money as well as employees’ health and, in many cases, their jobs. Bullying in the workplace has both direct and indirect consequences to the organization or school. Employee absence, higher turnover, increased legal bills, and increased security expenses are easy to recognize as direct costs.
This study also aims to create a new framework for future research on workplace bullying and employee performance. The study’s findings can also be used by top management and HRM managers and practitioners to plan and assure suitable employee positioning in order to strengthen workplace relationships.
