Workplace Incivilities

This dissertation examines the characteristics of targets of workplace incivility and the association between having experienced workplace incivility and mental health. Previous literature has found that workplace bullying is a prevalent problem and can have severe mental health outcomes for workers. Yet, much of the previous research is centered on European countries, and much less is known about the U.S. situation. In fact, US-based studies often are qualitative or center on a particular occupation, limiting their generalizability. This study uses a nationally representative sample (the 2016 General Social Survey) to address which personal characteristics and workplace features increase the odds of experiencing workplace incivility and the association of having experienced it and having poor mental health. It thus helps fill a gap in the literature on workplace bullying in the U.S. Two key findings emerged. In Chapter 3, contrary to what I had hypothesized, people in lower statuses were no more likely to be bullied, and in the case of age, younger workers were significantly more likely to be bullied. In line with what I expected, relationships at work, specifically relationships with bosses and coworkers, and also union membership predict having been bullied. The main finding in Chapter 4 is the sizeable association between bullying and poor mental health. Having experienced bullying has a large association with psychological unease and with depression symptoms. The effect size of the association of having been bullied and depression symptoms is similar to that of being unmarried, a well-established correlate of poor mental health, and the effect size of the association of having been bullied and psychological unease is similar to the effect of being LGBTQ, also a well-established correlate of poor mental health. The second key finding of Chapter 4 is that none of the interactions between bullying and various characteristics predicted depression symptoms, and only two predicted psychological unease. In general, bullying cuts across status, leaving no group unscathed, and the mental-health costs to targets are high. Moreover, previous research has shown that bullying affects not only workers but also organizations and profits. This dissertation extends the literature on workplace incivility by allowing national estimates of the prevalence of workplace incivility along with estimating their association with mental health. This dissertation also has implications for organizations and policy makers. Workplace incivility is a pervasive problem in the U.S. and efforts could be taken to curtail it. This problem could be addressed at both an organizational and national level through training programs, protection from retaliation, task force groups that facilitate high-quality workplace relations, and national policies similar to those policies enacted for discrimination and sexual harassment.