ASSESSMENT OF BULLYING INCIDENTS ON CONSTRUCTION WORKERS' WELLBEING AND PERFORMANCE

Abstract There are increasing incidents of bullying in the construction industry workplace which potentially pose a health risk and low performance among construction workers in South Africa. Therefore, it is strategically important that employers, employees, and policymakers become consciously aware of the challenges associated with bullying and strive to create effective and strategic policies to identify the main causes and potential remedies to prevent bullying from occurring in the construction industry workplace. Thus, the aim of the study is to evaluate the major effects of bullying on construction workers' well-being and performance in South Africa. Thus, this study adopted a systematic review research approach which 17 academic publications were critically and systematically reviewed under subject matter bullying and its impact on workers’ well-being and productivity in the construction industry. The study also reveals that bullying in the construction industry does have a negative impact on individuals/workers as it has the potential to cause people to suffer from depression, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts, which would potentially lead to poor performance. The study concludes that there is a need to create extensive awareness of issues of bullying and its impact on workers’ well-being and productivity, in order to foster an organizational culture and good leadership that would promote and maintain a positive workplace environment free from bullying, intimidation or any ongoing negative behaviours that might lay the foundation stone for a bullying culture in the construction industry.