The Pervasive Challenge of Cyberbullying at Work: The Current Evidence

Abstract

Although bullying and cyberbullying are traditionally associated with and studied among children and adolescents, a growing body of research proves that bullying continues into adulthood and working life. The increasingly important role of information and communication technologies virtually for all work domains and the shift to remote work further accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis makes cyberbullying at work an especially concerning risk. In this chapter, we introduce the phenomenon of cyberbullying at work and review the current research literature. We also report results of a seven-wave study on a nationally representative sample of Finnish workers. There is robust evidence for the negative impact of cyberbullying on employees’ strain and well-being, namely psychological distress, technostress, work exhaustion, and decreased work engagement. We explore the mechanisms behind these effects and outline their implications for practitioners. Overall, the chapter underlines that cyberbullying at work constitutes a significant problem not only for individuals, but for whole organizations. We suggest solutions for practitioners looking to prevent cyberbullying at work and outline key avenues for future research in the field.