The Effect of Workplace Bullying on the Cognitive Ergonomics of the Worker

Abstract:

Workplace bullying is a pervasive issue with far-reaching consequences. This essay explores the impact of workplace bullying on the cognitive ergonomics of employees. It delves into the psychological, emotional, and physiological effects of bullying, highlighting how it disrupts cognitive processes, impairs productivity, harms overall well-being and impacts health and safety within an organisation. Drawing on extensive research and empirical evidence, this essay also discusses strategies for prevention and intervention. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for creating healthier, more productive work environments and promoting employee well-being.

Introduction:

Workplace bullying is a complex and damaging phenomenon that affects employees across various industries and organizational settings (Einarsen et al., 2011). Defined as repeated, persistent, and harmful behaviors aimed at an individual or a group, workplace bullying can manifest in various forms, such as verbal abuse, social exclusion, intimidation, and sabotage. While it is commonly acknowledged that workplace bullying has detrimental effects on employees' psychological and emotional well-being, its impact on cognitive ergonomics, or the interaction between individuals and their work environment concerning cognitive functions, is an area that deserves more attention.

This essay explores the profound effects of workplace bullying on the cognitive ergonomics of workers. Specifically, it examines how workplace bullying can disrupt cognitive processes, leading to an increased risk of health and safety incidents, impair productivity, and harm overall well-being. By understanding the cognitive implications of workplace bullying, organizations can better appreciate the significance of fostering inclusive and respectful work environments. This, in turn, can contribute to improved employee mental health, job satisfaction, and overall performance.

I. Workplace Bullying: Prevalence and Forms

To understand its impact on cognitive ergonomics, it is essential to first recognize the prevalence and forms of workplace bullying. Workplace bullying is not limited to physical violence; it encompasses a wide range of behaviors. These may include:

1. Verbal Abuse: This involves using derogatory language, insults, or offensive comments aimed at belittling or humiliating the target (Zapf et al., 2003). Not too prevalent in most organizations as it is usually very well documented in HR policies and enforced swiftly.

2. Social Exclusion: Colleagues may deliberately exclude an individual from social activities, meetings, or important discussions, isolating them within the workplace (Zapf et al., 2003). This is one of the mightiest weapons in the bully’s arsenal. This most often occurs when the bully is the superior of the person being bullied.

3. Intimidation: Intimidation tactics can involve physical threats, aggressive gestures, or menacing behaviors designed to create fear in the victim (Einarsen et al., 2011). This type of bullying is not that prevalent in workplaces today because human resources have very strict policies on physical abuse in the workplace and generally takes swift action on these acts.

4. Sabotage: Colleagues may engage in acts of sabotage, such as withholding information, spreading rumors, or undermining the target's work (Einarsen et al., 2011). Simple daily acts, like “forgetting” to invite a specific employee to an important meeting, delaying the delivery of data to an employee in order to put them under pressure to meet specific deadlines, removing completed presentations from their desks, or going as far as adding something to their coffee to miss important client meetings are all forms of bullying experienced by thousands on a daily basis.

5. Cyberbullying: In the digital age, bullying can extend beyond the physical workplace through online harassment, emails, or social media (Einarsen et al., 2011). Many of us neglect to lock our computer workstations when we quickly pop into the washroom. This is the perfect opportunity for the bully to send damaging emails from your console to clients, senior managers or even other employees.

6. Work Overload: Some bullies may assign excessive workloads or unrealistic deadlines to overwhelm their targets (Lutgen-Sandvik et al., 2007). Bullies also love to request work on extremely short notice even though they have known about the requirement long in advance. They love to give you a lot of work just before the weekend or before you go on leave, demanding it to be completed in very short timeframes.

II. Cognitive Ergonomics: An Overview

Cognitive ergonomics refers to the study of how cognitive processes, such as perception, attention, memory, and decision-making, interact with the work environment (Kelloway & Day, 2005).

It encompasses the design and organization of work tasks, tools, and systems to optimize human cognitive abilities and enhance overall performance. When workplace bullying occurs, it disrupts this delicate balance, leading to various negative outcomes.

Cognitive ergonomics is a concept that focuses on optimizing cognitive processes in various settings. Let's consider the results of inadequate consideration of cognitive ergonomics, which can lead to issues in various domains. Here are some common consequences:

1. Reduced Task Performance: When cognitive ergonomics principles are not properly implemented, individuals may struggle to perform tasks efficiently and effectively (Wickens et al., 2004).

2. Increased Cognitive Load: Poor cognitive ergonomics can impose excessive cognitive demands on individuals, leading to cognitive overload (Hancock & Szalma, 2003). This can result in mental fatigue and stress (Salvendy, 2012).

3. Errors and Mistakes: Inadequate cognitive ergonomics can lead to cognitive errors and mistakes (Karwowski & Marras, 2006). This is particularly concerning in safety-critical domains such as healthcare (Carayon & Smith, 2000).

4. Stress and Burnout: Prolonged exposure to high cognitive demands due to poor cognitive ergonomics can lead to chronic stress and burnout (Salvendy, 2012).

5. Decline in Decision Quality: In settings where cognitive ergonomics are overlooked, individuals may make suboptimal decisions due to inadequate support (Wickens et al., 2004).

6. Reduced Creativity and Innovation: Poor cognitive ergonomics can hinder creativity and innovation by diverting cognitive resources away from creative thinking (Hancock & Szalma, 2003).

7. Safety Concerns: In safety-critical industries, inadequate cognitive ergonomics can increase the risk of accidents and incidents (Rizzo & Trujillo, 2007).

8. Job Dissatisfaction and Turnover: Employees facing the consequences of poor cognitive ergonomics may experience frustration and job dissatisfaction (Fisk & Rogers, 2007).

9. Negative Health Outcomes: Inadequate cognitive ergonomics can contribute to various health issues, including anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances (Carayon & Smith, 2000).

10. Inefficient Resource Allocation: Organizations may waste resources on correcting errors, addressing employee burnout, and dealing with the fallout of poor cognitive ergonomics (Karwowski & Marras, 2006).

III. The Cognitive Implications of Workplace Bullying

1. Reduced Cognitive Functionality: Workplace bullying can lead to increased stress and anxiety levels, which can impair cognitive functions such as memory, concentration, and problem-solving (Tuckey & Neall, 2014).

Employees experiencing bullying may find it challenging to focus on their tasks, leading to decreased productivity and performance.

2. Emotional Distress: Bullying can elicit strong negative emotions, including fear, anger, and sadness, which can consume cognitive resources (Kelloway & Day, 2005), leaving less mental capacity for productive work. Employees may also engage in rumination, replaying negative experiences in their minds, further impeding cognitive processes.

3. Distrust and Paranoia: Victims of workplace bullying often develop a sense of distrust and paranoia, diverting cognitive resources away from their job responsibilities (Einarsen et al., 2011). They may become overly vigilant about their surroundings, colleagues, or supervisors.

4. Reduced Creativity and Innovation: Workplace environments characterized by fear and intimidation are unlikely to foster creativity and innovation (Kelloway & Day, 2005). Employees subjected to bullying may hesitate to share ideas or engage in creative problem-solving due to the fear of ridicule or retribution.

5. Absenteeism and Presenteeism: Workplace bullying can lead to increased absenteeism as employees seek to avoid the hostile environment (Lutgen-Sandvik et al., 2007). On the other hand, presenteeism, where employees are physically present but mentally disengaged, becomes common. This dual effect further undermines cognitive ergonomics.

6. Long-term Cognitive Impact: Prolonged exposure to workplace bullying can have long-lasting cognitive effects, potentially leading to chronic stress, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These conditions can significantly impair cognitive functioning, making it challenging for employees to perform at their best.

IV. Strategies for Prevention and Intervention

Given the detrimental impact of workplace bullying on cognitive ergonomics, organizations must take proactive measures to prevent and address this issue. Some strategies include:

1. Zero-Tolerance Policies: Implement clear and comprehensive anti-bullying policies that explicitly state the consequences for engaging in bullying behavior (Einarsen et al., 2011)

2. Training and Awareness Programs: Provide training and awareness programs to educate employees and supervisors about recognizing, preventing, and addressing workplace bullying (Kelloway & Day, 2005).

3. Support Systems: Establish support systems such as employee assistance programs (EAPs) and confidential reporting mechanisms for victims of bullying to seek help (Einarsen et al., 2011).

4. Leadership Role Modeling: Leaders should model respectful and inclusive behavior, setting the tone for the entire organization (Einarsen et al., 2011).

5. Investigation and Intervention: Promptly investigate and address bullying complaints, ensuring that appropriate actions are taken to stop the behavior and support the victim (Einarsen et al., 2011).

6. Mental Health Support: Offer access to mental health resources and counseling services to help employees cope with the emotional and cognitive consequences of bullying (Einarsen et al., 2011).

Those who have been the subject of workplace bullying would agree that these strategies implemented by human resources are less than effective. Because of the subtle nuances of workplace bullying, most of which human resources practitioners, and even employee being bullied, does not even have any knowledge of.

7. Declare bullying a safety and health hazard: I would like to propose a seventh option in managing bullying. I we look at all the evidence which suggests that bullying in the workplace has a serious detrimental effect on the cognitive functions of the employee, and these cognitive functions includes aspects like risk recognition and work speed to name only two, then it is very plausible to say that bullying can be declared a workplace hazard and as such we should move the act of bullying to health and safety management, away from human resources where it currently resides.

The reason for this is simple. Human resources are governed in most cases by labor law, where the typical action of discipline relates to verbal and written warnings valid for a specific time frame. Bullies are not stupid and continuously abuse this system because when they abide by the final warning for the specific timeframe of its validity, the warning expires and the entire process starts from zero.

Health and safety hazards however, fall under the Health and Safety legislation, where all actions are risk based and intended to minimize risk as quick as possible to as low as reasonably possible. For this we use the hierarchy of controls where the very first step is elimination.

Now, I am not saying to get rid of the bully immediately, even though this would be eutopia, but maybe a combination of HR and OSH policy would be an amicable solution.

Conclusion

Workplace bullying has far-reaching consequences that extend beyond the emotional and psychological well-being of employees. It significantly impacts the cognitive ergonomics of workers, disrupting cognitive processes, increasing the risk of serious health or safety incidents, impairing productivity, and diminishing overall well-being. To mitigate the cognitive implications of workplace bullying, organizations must prioritize prevention and intervention efforts. Creating a culture of respect, empathy, and inclusion is not only ethically responsible but also essential for fostering healthy and productive work environments. By addressing workplace bullying, organizations can protect the cognitive ergonomics of their employees, leading to increased health and safety, increased job satisfaction, improved performance, and a happier, healthier workforce.