A case study of hassle at work: a psychosociological perspective

Purpose The purpose of his article is to analyze a case of hassle at work using an original conceptual framework which combines systemic analysis of interpersonal relationship (“Palo Alto School”) with Bourdieu’s concepts of Habitus. Design/methodology/approach Case study; qualitative methodology (interviews); Interpretativist approach. Findings Hassle in a unit of a Canadian University leads to a kind of organizational change in management of hassle cases and employees–managers conflicts at the global level of the University. The case of hassle is actually a result of runaway in interpersonal relationship and communication. The change in conflicts management in this university is the result of a cooperative (symmetrical) relationship between union’s delegates and the University management. Research limitations/implications A single case study but with analytical validation. Usefulness of the theoretical framework, in terms of conceptual orignality as well as for managerial and organizational methods to manage conflits. Practical implications This study provides clues for interpersonal conflicts to be successfully managed by following cooperative framing to avoid the conflictual runaways, through the example of this University. Social implications The classical approaches of conflicts based either on psychology (approach by personality) or sociology (cultural approach) are challenged by this psychosociological approach. Originality/value The conceptual framework used to analyze this case is completely original and transdisciplinary.