Theoretical contribution

This study adds in-depth understanding to HR practitioners’ insights, constructions and conceptualisations of workplace bullying. The substantive grounded theory on workplace bullying from an HR practitioner presented in chapter 6 section 6.5 could be helpful as a foundation for a scientific framework to establish a conceptual understanding of the

172

phenomenon. This includes individual level issues above-and-below the surface, such as verbal and non-verbal behavioural cues, power and role dynamics, and organisational level issues, such as management style, organisational culture, diversity, communication and lack of policy. The implication is that workplace bullying cannot only be understood or addressed from a singular perspective on the individual or from the organisational level of analysis. It is a systems approach that I am proposing, for example, looking holistically at the individual interaction with the organisational system, the incompatibility of individual differences and the organisational context. These are factors that complicate the role of the HR practitioners in terms of the whole workplace bullying dynamic, a duality of paradoxical nature. A comprehensive approach is needed, in which the individual factors in interaction with system factors in the organisation are analysed. System factors account to a conceptual framework in this study, including systemic issues in the organisation such as culture, management, leadership and policies, capable of recognising and embracing individual differences.

Of note, this study demonstrates that the target’s experience becomes paramount in a bullying situation because the behaviour is experienced as bullying by the target and therefore the HR practitioners have to deal with the reality of the target. This is important in the whole organisational dynamic of bullying and the difficulty in managing it from an HR perspective. HR practitioners have to ascertain the reality and scope of the workplace bullying situation which notably maximised the impact of workplace bullying and exposed the HR practitioners as victims of bullying themselves. Consequently, this approach influences how HR practitioners define and understand workplace bullying and the extent to which they are able to deal with it impartially and rationally. The findings of this study demonstrate that workplace bullying should not only be perceived as a subjective interpersonal experience but also seen to be intensified by the lack of management support, response and abuse of legitimate position, hindering HR practitioners addressing workplace bullying situations. This finding concurs with others (Reyes, 2013; Smit, 2014; Visagie et al., 2012), that workplace bullying is significantly related to a lack of management response and misuse of positional power in organisations, amongst others.

With this understanding, the theory presents a conceptual framework that enhances an in-depth understanding of the critical behavioural, role and contextual components of the bullying phenomenon (see Chapter 6). The framework (as depicted in Figure 6.2) shows manifestations of workplace bullying and organisational contextual factors in handling it,

which added to the HR practitioner’s role dilemmas in addressing and managing the situation effectively, and the elements of workplace bullying as criteria or a methodology that the HR practitioners can use to assess, confirm and more confidently resolve. The implication is that the theory and the practical use of it cannot be split. The theory I present helps to understand but the understanding only becomes valuable when it is implemented in practice. It can be concluded that the framework could enable the HR practitioners to recognise its overt behavioural manifestations, understand its underlying and covert power and role dynamics and investigate complaints against the elements of workplace bullying as a benchmark of its extent. The theory draws attention to the HR practitioners’ perceptions and experiences in workplace bullying situations, how they understand and label bullying, and the potential effects of work-related and personal- related bullying on HR practitioners’ wellbeing.

A conceptual framework describes the logical process for understanding and handling workplace bullying, and with development and implementation of interventions, initiatives and response strategies in the organisation. While I may not be able to make claims about workplace bullying in other organisations I believe that the theory and framework essentially are a point of reference for guiding and motivating an organisation’s management to enable the HR practitioners in handling and addressing bullying and in achieving the goal of a zero bullying environment.

This study has contributed to the workplace bullying literature in a number of ways. First, the study provided a foundation to understand the phenomenon, workplace bullying, from HR practitioners’ perspectives above-and-below the surface20_{, a previously under-} explored voice, as discussed in Chapter 1. Secondly, through the theoretical exploration and application of the workplace bullying and HRM literature I have strengthened our conceptualisation of the concept of workplace bullying from HR practitioners perspectives. Thirdly, it further shed light on the distinct connection between harassment and workplace bullying. Olsen (2010) opined that workplace bullying includes four elements: unwanted, unwarranted, repeated and detrimental behaviour. I agree with Basson and Botha (2012, p. 2) that workplace bullying and harassment effects can include the following, namely: “the negative effect on the target, the frequency of the behaviour, the persistence of the behaviour and the power imbalance that is created”.

174

Also, workplace bullying and harassment “has the potential to turn people who are thriving and flourishing in their careers to being demotivated, distressed and disgruntled at work” (Clements, 2013, p. 1). It is a complex process to ascertain or distinguish inappropriate vague behaviour(s) as workplace bullying or harassment as they unfold in the primary stages, because by the time a person feels unable to cope and the experience is established as characteristic of workplace bullying, the power has shifted in favour of the bully (Ayoko, Callan & Hartel, 2003; Dawn, Cowie & Ananiadou, 2003; Lewis, 2006).