Description

Victimization Behavior in the Workplace (VBW) refers to a range of negative interpersonal behaviors that occur within occupational settings and may involve aggression, harassment, bullying, humiliation, intimidation, or other forms of harm directed toward employees.

Workplace victimization may take different forms, including physical, verbal, psychological, and professional harassment, and may negatively affect employees’ mental and physical health, job satisfaction, and overall occupational functioning.

Purpose

The primary purpose of assessing VBW is to identify and systematically document experiences of victimization, harassment, and workplace violence.

Such assessment can help clarify the frequency, intensity, and forms of negative behaviors experienced by employees and may support the development of prevention and intervention strategies aimed at reducing workplace victimization.

It may also assist organizations in establishing policies that promote a safer, healthier, and more supportive work environment.

Dimensions of Assessment

Workplace victimization may involve different forms of harmful behavior, including:

  • verbal insults or degrading comments,
  • psychological pressure or intimidation,
  • social exclusion,
  • professional undermining,
  • threatening or aggressive behavior,
  • physical aggression or threats of violence.

Assessing these dimensions can provide a broader understanding of an employee’s experiences within the workplace.

Scoring

Assessment is typically conducted through questionnaires or Likert-type scales in which participants report the frequency or intensity of specific negative behaviors they have experienced.

Higher scores generally indicate greater or more frequent exposure to victimization, whereas lower scores suggest less exposure, depending on the scoring structure of the instrument being used.

Data Analysis and Use

Data may be analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, and comparisons across different employee groups. Researchers may also examine associations between workplace victimization and variables such as job satisfaction, psychological distress, occupational burnout, and organizational functioning.

The results can be used to identify groups or workplace conditions associated with higher risk and to support the development of targeted prevention and employee-support interventions.

Applications

VBW assessment may be used in occupational and organizational research investigating workplace bullying, mobbing, harassment, and workplace violence. It can also contribute to the evaluation of organizational policies and programs designed to improve workplace climate, employee well-being, and psychological safety.

References

Einarsen, S., Hoel, H., Zapf, D., & Cooper, C. L. (2011). Bullying and harassment in the workplace: Developments in theory, research, and practice. CRC Press.

Leymann, H. (1996). The content and development of mobbing at work. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 5(2), 165–184.

Rayner, C., & Cooper, C. L. (2003). The black hole in “bullying at work” research. International Journal of Management Reviews, 5(1), 3–17.

Hoel, H., & Cooper, C. L. (2000). Destructive conflict and bullying at work. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 15(1).