Developing a workplace bullying risk audit tool

This project, funded by a SafeWork SA Commissioned Research Grant (CRG), is innovative in creating an evidence-based practical tool to assess the risk of workplace bullying before it occurs. The tool is based on the organisational risk contexts for workplace bullying.

Based on content analysis of 342 workplace bullying complaint files lodged with SafeWork SA (over 5,500 pages), our prior research revealed that perceptions of workplace bullying arise when supervisors (or other employees holding a coordinating role) perform 11 job activities (e.g., administering leave and entitlements; clarifying and defining job roles; appraising and rewarding performance). These job activities fall within three risk contexts for workplace bullying: (1) administrating and coordinating working hours; (2) managing work performance; and (3) shaping relationships and the work environment.
In the current project we conducted a series of studies to translate the three workplace bullying risk contexts into concrete, specific behavioural indicators that form the basis of a workplace bullying risk audit tool. Rather than diagnosing a problem with individual supervisors or managers, the indicators signify how job activities are typically performed within the work unit and, as such, serve as markers of the functioning of the organisational system in nine job activity domains. Within these domains, the actions of individuals (both supervisors and employees) contribute to the functioning of the system, shaped by relevant policies, procedures, and processes.