Bullies in our midst: workplace bullying among social service workers in long term care facilities

ABSTRACT

Workplace bullying is a global and growing phenomenon. A working definition of bullying and its repercussions are presented. The extent to which social workers are exposed to bullying is assessed. Bullying by employees and clients is examined. Bullying is measured with the Negative Acts Questionnaire, Revised Short Form. Additional measures include the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Findings suggest workplace bullying is a phenomenon affecting social workers at a higher rate than the general population. Characteristics associated with bullying include emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, dedication, absorption, and race. Implications for administrators and policy makers are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Long-term care
• social work
• workplace aggression
• workplace bullying

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.