The phenomenon of mobbing in healthcare professions, exemplified by occupational therapists

Abstract Aim Occupational therapy is a medical profession. Its practitioners, however, are employed across various sectors, including healthcare, social work, and education. They often work in multidisciplinary teams, which naturally involve a wide range of interactions—both positive and negative. Mobbing, a form of persistent and prolonged harassment or intimidation directed at an employee, represents one such negative interaction. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of mobbing in occupational therapists’ workplaces. Subject and methods A total of 290 professionally active occupational therapists participated in the study. A self-administered, anonymous survey questionnaire was used. The collected data were subjected to quantitative analysis. Results The findings indicate that 68% of respondents had experienced mobbing in their workplace. This prevalence was consistent across all types of establishments. Supervisors were implicated as the most frequent perpetrators, accounting for 53% of cases. Correspondingly, the most common mobbing behaviour observed was unjustified and unequal treatment, also reported by 53% of respondents. Conclusion Workplace mobbing appears widespread among survey participants. Despite high awareness of the phenomenon, respondents lack knowledge of established workplace procedures. This finding underscores the urgent need for decisive action within institutions employing occupational therapists.