Protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of workplace bullying
The present study investigated the protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of exposure to workplace bullying when being in a minority at work—feeling like a minority—or merely belonging to a protected group. Further we elucidated the boundary between bullying and discrimination. Based on a...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1488010/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850151603817938944 |
|---|---|
| author | Michael Rosander Helge Hoel Stefan Blomberg |
| author_facet | Michael Rosander Helge Hoel Stefan Blomberg |
| author_sort | Michael Rosander |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The present study investigated the protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of exposure to workplace bullying when being in a minority at work—feeling like a minority—or merely belonging to a protected group. Further we elucidated the boundary between bullying and discrimination. Based on a social identity perspective we tested hypotheses on the risks of bullying using a probability sample of the Swedish workforce. The results showed an increased risk of person-related bullying for employees who have a protected characteristic (OR = 1.87). When also feeling like a minority the risk increased substantially (OR = 5.13). Particular high risks were found for disabled and those from an ethnic minority. The risk is not merely a structural problem affecting all where bullying is construed from being treated unfairly as part of a wider collective; the results showed an increased risk of bullying of individual targets having a protected characteristic. To alleviate this requires a comprehensive approach involving policies treating it as an organizational issue, proactively as well as having safe procedures when problems surface. Creating more well-functioning workplaces will alleviate the problem for all, although to succeed those with protected characteristics would need particular consideration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9cdc0e5ef0ac4d7aa0ba790bbbdda401 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-9cdc0e5ef0ac4d7aa0ba790bbbdda4012025-08-20T02:26:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-04-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.14880101488010Protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of workplace bullyingMichael Rosander0Helge Hoel1Stefan Blomberg2Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenUniversity of Manchester, Manchester, United KingdomOccupational and Environmental Medicine Centre, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenThe present study investigated the protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of exposure to workplace bullying when being in a minority at work—feeling like a minority—or merely belonging to a protected group. Further we elucidated the boundary between bullying and discrimination. Based on a social identity perspective we tested hypotheses on the risks of bullying using a probability sample of the Swedish workforce. The results showed an increased risk of person-related bullying for employees who have a protected characteristic (OR = 1.87). When also feeling like a minority the risk increased substantially (OR = 5.13). Particular high risks were found for disabled and those from an ethnic minority. The risk is not merely a structural problem affecting all where bullying is construed from being treated unfairly as part of a wider collective; the results showed an increased risk of bullying of individual targets having a protected characteristic. To alleviate this requires a comprehensive approach involving policies treating it as an organizational issue, proactively as well as having safe procedures when problems surface. Creating more well-functioning workplaces will alleviate the problem for all, although to succeed those with protected characteristics would need particular consideration.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1488010/fulldiscriminationminorityworkplace bullyingprotected groundsnonprototypicality |
| spellingShingle | Michael Rosander Helge Hoel Stefan Blomberg Protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of workplace bullying Frontiers in Psychology discrimination minority workplace bullying protected grounds nonprototypicality |
| title | Protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of workplace bullying |
| title_full | Protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of workplace bullying |
| title_fullStr | Protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of workplace bullying |
| title_full_unstemmed | Protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of workplace bullying |
| title_short | Protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of workplace bullying |
| title_sort | protected grounds of discrimination and the risk of workplace bullying |
| topic | discrimination minority workplace bullying protected grounds nonprototypicality |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1488010/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michaelrosander protectedgroundsofdiscriminationandtheriskofworkplacebullying AT helgehoel protectedgroundsofdiscriminationandtheriskofworkplacebullying AT stefanblomberg protectedgroundsofdiscriminationandtheriskofworkplacebullying |