Mobbing and sexual harassment at the workplace

Holubová, Barbara

Overview

Article

Mobbing and sexual harassment at the workplace

Published: 20 December 2007

Barbara Holubová

Health and well-being

The research carried out by the Institute for Labour and Family Research (Stredisko pre štúdium práce a rodiny, SŠPR [1]) on mobbing [2] or bullying and sexual harassment at the workplace was commissioned by the Department of Family and Gender Policy within the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (Ministerstvo práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny Slovenskej republiky, MPSVR SR [3]). The data were collected in October 2006 using the methodology of a standardised questionnaire survey on a sample of 1,041 economically active adults. The sample was representative of both sexes, as well as people of various ages, educational levels and regions. The main aim of the survey was to investigate the incidence of mobbing and sexual harassment at the workplace.[1] http://www.sspr.gov.sk/[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/mobbing[3] http://www.employment.gov.sk/

In 2006, the Institute for Labour and Family Research carried out a survey on the incidence of mobbing or bullying and sexual harassment at the workplace, the reactions of victims of harassment and the outcomes of harassment cases. The research also examined general opinions on the reasons for mobbing and sexual harassment at the workplace and methods of prevention.

The research carried out by the Institute for Labour and Family Research (Stredisko pre štúdium práce a rodiny, SŠPR) on mobbing or bullying and sexual harassment at the workplace was commissioned by the Department of Family and Gender Policy within the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (Ministerstvo práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny Slovenskej republiky, MPSVR SR). The data were collected in October 2006 using the methodology of a standardised questionnaire survey on a sample of 1,041 economically active adults. The sample was representative of both sexes, as well as people of various ages, educational levels and regions. The main aim of the survey was to investigate the incidence of mobbing and sexual harassment at the workplace.

Mobbing

Incidence of mobbing and reaction of victims

**Table 1: Direct and indirect experience of mobbing at the workplace**
This table outlines the main direct and indirect indicators of mobbing experienced by workers at their place of work.
Indicators of mobbing	No. of workers	% of workers
Task overload and pressure to perform well	739	70.9
Slander and deception	634	60.9
Threatening and frightening a person	587	56.3
Use of provocative notes and jokes	530	50.9
Making derogatory comments about a person’s work	472	45.3
Isolating and ignoring a person	458	43.9
Inappropriate work assignment	439	42.1
Withholding information	415	39.8
Unjustified warnings or hidden monitoring	411	39.4
Vicious remarks	362	34.7
Unrealistic and meaningless work assignment	339	32.5
Physical violence, aggression	42	4.0

Notes: Total number of respondents = 1,041 workers.

Source: Institute for Labour and Family Research, 2006

At least one case of mobbing was experienced by about 82.8% of the economically active population surveyed. Overall, 67.3% of respondents had direct, personal experience of mobbing and 36.6% of respondents had indirect experience, that is, by witnessing the mobbing of a colleague. More men, at 54.1%, than women, at 45.9%, experienced at least one case of direct or indirect mobbing.

Mobbing had an impact on the mental and physical comfort at work of most of the respondents who had personal experience of it. However, only 35.6% of respondents protested against such behaviour. Workers most often reacted passively to mobbing; for example, 32% of workers avoided meeting the troublemaker and 27.7% ignored the person. Such reactions did not stop the mobbing and the victim was often either transferred to another position or even let go.

The victims of mobbing often did not protest against such behaviour as they believed it would make the situation worse and nothing would be solved as a result. Moreover, many victims were afraid that they could be released let go or that their pay would be reduced.

General views on mobbing

The survey respondents highlighted envy, intolerance and personal disputes as the most common reasons for the incidence of mobbing at the workplace. In addition, they mentioned the lack of well paid jobs and the consequent opportunity to blackmail employees. The most effective prevention against mobbing, according to the respondents, would be incorporation of a precise definition of mobbing in employment regulations, as well as an exact enumeration of the indicators of mobbing and procedures for the submission of complaints.

Sexual harassment

Incidence of harassment and reaction of victims

The three most commonly mentioned indicators of sexual harassment are sexual jokes, comments and remarks of a sexual nature, and inappropriate addressing of individuals (Table 2). Respondents most often – in 70% of cases – identified male colleagues who worked at the same operating position as the victim as being the initiators of sexual harassment.

**Table 2: Direct and indirect experience of sexual harassment**
This table outlines the main direct and indirect indicators of sexual harassment experienced by workers at their place of work.
Indicators of sexual harassment	No. of workers	% of workers
Ambiguous and sexually motivated jokes	607	58.3
Notes and comments with a sexual connotation	522	50.1
Inappropriate addressing of individuals	424	40.7
Inappropriate physical touching	302	29.0
Erotic and sexual relationships	266	25.5
Whistling and ambiguous gestures	248	23.8
Reviewing and showing sexual magazines	233	22.3
Posting nude pictures at the workplace	209	20.0
Arranging dates	193	18.5
Indecent telephone calls	77	7.3
Forced sexual activity, sexual intimidation	55	5.2
Attempted assault or assault	28	2.6

Note: Total number of respondents = 1,041 workers.

Source: Institute for Labour and Family Research, 2006

A total of 66.4% of respondents had at least one experience of sexual harassment at the workplace, 36.7% had personal experience of such harassment and 55.5% had indirect experience. Women experience aspects of sexual harassment twice as often as men do.

In spite of the fact that 80% of the respondents who had personal experience of aspects of sexual harassment developed mental or physical problems at work, only 13% of them protested against such behaviour. In over half of the cases, at 50.9%, victims of sexual harassment reacted in a passive way.

General views on sexual harassment

About one third of the economically active population considered sexual jokes and comments or inappropriate addressing of individuals as types of sexual harassment, and more than half of them considered other types of behaviour as sexual harassment. In general, women referred to significantly more types of behaviour which they considered to be sexual harassment and were more sensitive towards identifying sexual harassment than men.

Men consider that sexual harassment is most often a result of human nature, while women mainly view it as a misuse of a superior position at work. One solution to this issue could be to provide a more precise definition of sexual harassment in legislation and employment regulations.

Barbora Holubová, Institute for Labour and Family Research

Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.

Eurofound (2007), Mobbing and sexual harassment at the workplace, article.