The effects of workplace bullying on organisational commitment among nurses

Background/Aims Workplace bullying is a growing concern in healthcare organisations, with negative effects on employee satisfaction and performance. This study aimed to explore the relationship between workplace bullying and organisational commitment among nurses, examining sub-variables of bullying. Methods A total of 331 nurses were recruited from 69 hospitals in Tamil Nadu, India. Workplace bullying was measured using an adapted version of the Negative Acts Questionnaire, with respondents rating the frequency that they experienced 16 bullying behaviours, including personal attacks, physical assaults, work-related bullying and being made to feel underestimated or undervalued. Organisational commitment was measured using an 18-item scale relating to affective, continuance and normative commitment. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and partial least squares regression analysis, with a P-value below 0.05 indicating a significant relationship between variables. Results Over half of the respondents reported experiencing workplace bullying very often or extremely often. Both work-related bullying and being made to feel underestimated or undervalued were found to be significantly correlated with organisational commitment but, surprisingly, this relationship was positive, suggesting that experiencing these types of bullying was associated with higher levels of commitment. Neither personal nor physical attacks were significantly associated with organisational commitment. Conclusions Bullying is a widespread problem among nurses, but the relationship between this and organisational commitment is complex and warrants further exploration. Work-related bullying and being made to feel underestimated or undervalued might cause nurses to appear more committed, but this may be a coping mechanism that could be causing harm to the individual. Implications for practice Managers should not ignore bullying behaviours or negative working environments, even if staff seem committed. Healthcare organisations should implement strategies to address workplace bullying, such as raising awareness of the impact on staff, implementing conflict-resolution mechanisms, enforcing strict anti-bullying policies and providing support for those affected.