[Association between psychosocial work environment and workplace bullying among office workers].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of bullying in companies and health care center and identify the association between psychosocial environment and workplace bullying. METHODS: A total of 847 employees at in business building companies and 146 employees at one community health service center were invited to this survey by cluster sampling during October to December 2014, using anonymous questionnaires including the general demographic information, job characteristics, job stress core scale, the social capital scale, and NAQ-R. RESULTS: The rate of targets of bullying in the two kinds of workplaces were 13.1% and 5.6% respectively. Workplace bullying was associated with employee's education level(χ(2)=11.17, P=0.019)and the area his or her families live in(χ(2)=5.66, P=0.017). In addition, workplace bullying was significantly associated with psychosocial work environment. Job demand was positively correlated with workplace bullying (OR=2.24, 95% CI=1.34~3.74), and workplace social support was negatively associated with workplace bullying (OR= 0.33, 95% CI=0.18~0.60). CONCLUSION: Workplace bullying can be reduced by adjusting certain working conditions that negatively affect employees who are susceptible to being bullied, giving their individual and job characteristic. Moreover, workplace bullying could also be reduced if job demands are limited and job control and social capital are increased.