Workplace Bullying in Small Business Organizations: A Qualitative Inquiry

Workplace bullying in the United States is a common occurrence. A national survey conducted shows 27% of U.S. workers have been the victims of workplace bullying (Workplace Bullying Institute, 2014 ).

It is estimated that 35% of all adults in the United States have experienced workplace bullying, with a prevalence rate of 15.8% (Linton & Power, 2013). 

However, most workplace bullying studies have been carried out majorly in larger organizations such as Facebook (Baillien, Neyens, & De Witte, 2011), hence, a gap exists on addressing and identifying formal policies and procedures on this issue in small businesses in the U.S. (Boyd & Carden, 2010; Richards & Daley, 2003).

Following international awareness of the damage of workplace bullying, Quebec was the first to make a public stand on this issue when a 2004 law against workplace bullying was issued (Hollis, 2017).

Considered a form of psychological harassment this law (Occupational Health and Safety Act, Sec. 81.18) emphasizes this phenomenon leads to:

Chronic anxiety

Lack of productivity

Various other forms of Human Resource abuses from associated favoritism

Even suicidal thoughts/actions (Hollis, 2017).

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