There are different factors that can affect an organization both positively and negatively, since being made up of two or more people, there are human relationships that can become complicated, depending on the circumstances that may arise. Just as there may be human behaviors and relationships that promote camaraderie, camaraderie and mutual development, there are also problematic situations, which can encourage the appearance of negative effects and human resource relationships, which slow down any type of progress and which, at the long, will cause delays, delays, non-compliance and even accidents, within an organization.
It can be mentioned that, according to the analysis “Workplace violence, an uncomfortable reality. Case studies from a gender perspective "about 30% of women over the age of 15 and those who work as employees, day laborers or workers in this country, point out that they have been victims of some type of violence or abuse at work (Delgadillo, L. and Mercado, A., 2001).
Currently, management studies mention that human capital is a factor that can largely determine the success or failure of a company, or of a public or private organization. However, the administrative processes that are put into practice within any type of organization, even in the 21st century, still fail to solve the problems that have arisen for a long time, related to the negative behaviors of the human resource that work in them.. In this way, the so-called "Mobbing", also called "psychological harassment", is presented.
And so it is that currently, the violence that occurs in the workplace can be classified as indirect and passive, because among the most common forms in which violence occurs, is psychological, as for For example, the isolation and emptiness that is made to the victim, which can seriously affect him in a psychological way. According to Marzoan (2002) Workplace violence can consist of accusations of incompetence, manipulation of the facts so that the employee may appear insane, so that they lose their tools; in other words, minor pettiness (Marzoan, 2002).
But…
Heinz Leymann, a professed German, a doctor of occupational psychology and a professor at Stockholm University, was the first person to define this term during the Congress on Occupational Safety and Health in the year 1990. Heinz mentions that:
«Situation in which a person exercises extreme psychological violence, systematically and recurrently and for a long time on another person or people in the workplace in order to destroy the communication networks of the victim or victims, destroy their reputation, disturbing the performance of their duties and finally causing that person or persons to end up leaving the workplace ».
Mobbing is a scientific term that describes individual or collective behavior, in which various negative behaviors occur, such as harassment or harassment between two or more people, in a work team, or belonging to the human resource of a company.
Mobbing is a form of aggression that contributes to creating a work environment that does not favor the good performance of the organization. (Trujillo, 2007)
It is, then, a phenomenon of high degree of complexity in which different psychological, social, ethical and legal factors are related and which can have cultural, economic and political consequences. In this way, to study it, the different inherent characteristics of the organization to which one belongs must be taken into account, as well as the social and cultural context in which the company's activities are carried out.
The author Renaut mentions that harassment can also be a way to force workers to resign without going through the dismissal procedure (Renaut, 2003). This means that in an organization, there may be some harassment or harassment towards a specific person, in which it is sought to reach such a point, in which they prefer to resign, and leave their job, without going through the entire procedure. of a dismissal, and in this way, the company can save many problematic situations, as well as money, which according to the Law, must be given to the worker, at the moment in which his employment relationship with the company ends.
García (2009) mentions that workplace harassment involves psychological violence, which is used to intimidate staff, in order for them to quit their job. The term "Mobbing" has its translation as; Harassment, harassment, cornering in a group and refers to a form of psychological violence at work, which can have different effects on the emotional and physical health of its victims.
Historical background and related definitions.
- Harassment (Brodsky, 1976)
It refers to constant and repeated attempts by one person to torment, exhaust, frustrate, or achieve a reaction from another person. It is a behavior that is characterized by constant and persistent provocation, pressure on the individual, multiple confrontations, constant intimidation or other modes of behavior that can cause discomfort to the victim.
- Scapegoating (Thylefors, 1987)
One or more people who, during a certain period of time, are repeatedly exposed to negative actions by the human resources of a company.
- Mobbing (Matthiesen, Raknes and Rokkum (1989)
Conduct that occurs in a workplace, where there are multiple lasting and repeated reactions of one or more people, directed at one person, or a group of people.
- Mobbing / Psychological terror (Leymann, 1990)
Communication in an unethical, non-professional and hostile way, systematically directed by one or more people, towards one or more specific victims.
- Health endargering leadership (Kile, 1990)
Continuous acts of humiliation and harassment of long duration that are directed at one or more subordinates, by their boss, or superior, and that can be expressed in an open or hidden way.
- Workplace trauma (Wilson, 1991)
It is a process in which the breakdown of the employee's self-esteem is sought, as a consequence of the continuous treatment and of the behaviors directed towards him, by some other employee or a superior.
- Bullying (Adams, 1992)
It is behavior directed towards a worker, in which there are continuous criticisms and personal abuse, either in public or in private, in order to humiliate or degrade him.
- Mobbing (Moran Astorga, 2002)
It refers to a constant, deliberate and systematic mistreatment by several members of a company, towards an employee of the organization, in order to annihilate him psychologically and socially, looking for him to leave his job due to the pressure exerted on him.
- Mobbing (Barón Duque, 2003)
It is the frustration of the end of labor relations, which occurs due to the constant use of psychological violence systematically within an organization, against one or more people, who observe different changes and behaviors contrary to their physical well-being and integrity. as a person and as a worker, endangering their health, their family environment and in general, that of society.
Beware Mobbing!
Organizational behavior, describes the actions and interactions that exist within a company, by staff and work groups, therefore it falls to the administration to direct the use of the different resources that an organization has, from in such a way that the objectives and goals that have been proposed as an industry are efficiently met. In all companies and organizations, there is a hierarchical system, which defines the positions that each person has within the organization, delegating the tasks and responsibilities that are held, and the tasks that must be performed, as well as the relationship that you have with other employees. However, due to the nature of the human being, those who are in the higher levels, look for the way in which it can be demonstrated and verified,who is the one who has the power within the company, and looks for the way in which this can be demonstrated. However, within a healthy company, the exercise of power does not go beyond the border of respect for dignity, physical, mental and social integrity to which every worker is entitled.
Based on this, mention can be made of some characteristics that may promote the appearance of Mobbing, or any other type of negative behavior in the company, and which must be taken into account, so as not to jeopardize the integrity of the person, and that ultimately, affects the development of the company or organization. Some of these situations that can favor the appearance of Mobbing are: (Hogg and Vaughan, 1995)
- Task overload Absence of relevant tasks or of obvious importance Bureaucratic processes Organizational rigidity Internal disorganization Authoritarian forms of management Promotion of interpersonal competitiveness as a cultural value Inadequate promotion to positions of leadership of people who have reached a level of incompetence or who present psychopathological traits leadership Fostering a climate of personal and work insecurity Pursuit of solidarity, trust and camaraderie as suspicious or anti-business values.
Mobbing stages.
The author Leymann (1997) mentions four stages that can occur in the development of workplace bullying, which describe the emergence, evolution and conclusion of the problem, in most cases of bullying:
- Phase 1. The appearance of some critical incident.
It is the initial stage, in which there is a disorientation on the part of the victim, since she is not sure what is happening, and therefore she does not react violently or aggressively, but rather assumes the actions that are being carried out. carrying out, hoping that in the future, pressure and harassment will cease to exist, expect an understanding and support from the company and the collaborators with whom it works. There is a feeling of guilt in him, seeking to find the reason why this problematic situation is being presented, and he undertakes an exhaustive analysis of the actions that have been developed previously, which causes excessive concern, generating sleep disorders and recurring ideation.
The harasser has been identified, and seeks to resolve any type of misunderstanding, or problematic situation, but in the process, seeks not to be involved in altercations or confrontations, which may damage the way in which he is observed within the company. Finally, you will be forced to make a decision, or accept the conditions that the harasser wishes to have, or you will have to endure further harassment.
- Phase 2. Systematic persecution.
In this phase there is a gradual increase in psychological harassment towards the victim, who has been influenced by a feeling of general mistrust, and which is usually accompanied by threats of different types, and where it is referenced that any way in which seek to solve the problem, only things will get worse, and the presence of punitive threats, explicitly directed towards the status or security of the harassed.
- Phase 3. The intervention of superiors.
It is at this time, in which the victim, seeks some support, from the personnel in charge of solving problems, or from a superior who can help improve their current situation, that is, some head of human resources, union head, direct superior, etc. However, in the vast majority of cases, exposing the problem to a superior does little to solve the problem, so the harassed continues to be disturbed, which generates stress, disorders, isolation and even depression. Given the insistent pressure of the harassment, added to the lack of means to face it, little by little its strength is undermined.
- Phase 4. Abandonment of work.
In this phase the partial or total deterioration of the health of the individual is presented, to such an extent that the worker can be forced to be absent from his job, the simple idea of returning to work, where he faces all adversities on the part of the stalker, generates a feeling of fear and terror. Which makes the individual choose any alternative that may be presented, a job change, a total disinterest in the realization of the same, an early retirement, etc.
Consequences for one, consequences for all.
There are different consequences that arise due to a Mobbing effect on one or more workers, mention is made mainly of the damage to the health of the staff (Piñuel and Zavala, 2001):
Cognitive effects and psychic hyper-reaction:
- Forgetfulness Difficulty concentrating Depression Apathy Nervousness Aggression Irritability Hypersensitivity to delay
Effects of maladjustment of the nervous system
- Body aches (mainly chest) Excessive sweating Dry mouth Arrhythmia or palpitations Hot flashes Shortness of breath Hypertension.
Physical wear due to continuous stress.
- Back pain Muscle pain Neck pain or damage
Sleep disorders.
- Difficulty sleeping Sleep interrupted Lack of rest and relaxation Waking up early Sleep during working hours
Fatigue or tiredness
- Chronic fatigue Fainting and tremors
Thinking about the organization, this effect also has consequences in the way in which business activities are carried out, since the effectiveness of one or several people is greatly reduced, as they are victims of constant harassment. Likewise, the harasser reduces the concentration with which he carries out his activities, since he is constantly observing the behavior of the harassed, and seeks to observe the results he seeks in the conduct of his or her victims.
The consequences that an organization may face due to Mobbing are:
- Reduced efficiency, performance, productivity and profitability. Low morale, loss of loyalty, concentration and dedication on the part of employees. Increased absenteeism, sick leave. Continuous turnover of staff. Bad image, negative publicity before society. Idle time. during the harassment process, and during the hiring and training of new personnel. Expenses for assistance to the worker (medical expenses, therapies, etc.). Breach of legal provisions (Lawsuits generated) Labor costs for compensation Dangerous work conditions
A graphic by the author Piñuel and Zavala is presented, which summarizes the Mobbing:
Mobbing summary: Source: Piñuel and Zavala (2003). Mobbing. Santander: Salt Terrea, p. 82.
Conclusion.
The way in which this type of situation is presented within a company, denotes a lack of communication, and a poor system of control and organization of human resources. That is why the administration of a company is a very extensive branch, in charge not only of keeping the numbers or the accounts of the company, it is necessary to have a control and a correct handling of all the resources that are available, since They are material or human, which indicates that you must have preparation, to know how to act before the problems that may arise in labor relations within the company.
The effect it can have on young professionals who are entering the world of work can be devastating. Sadly in Mexico, it is a reality that is lived on a daily basis, mainly, towards women, indigenous groups or any group that does not meet the standards that are handled in the so degraded society that exists.
Therefore, it is necessary to have more stringent regulations, which allow minimizing the effects of Mobbing and Bullying, because as can be seen in the news, many of the labor, school, family or any other problems can lead to the realization of violent acts, which may end with the death of one or more people.
Bibliographic references.
- Trujillo Flores, Mara Maricela; Valderrabano Almegua, María de la Luz; Hernández Mendoza, René. (January-June 2007). Mobbing: history, causes, effects and proposal of a model for Mexican organizations. INNOVATE. Journal of Administrative and Social Sciences, vol. 17, pp. 71-91 Master Laura Henríquez Maldonado. (2011). Workplace violence (Mobbing) from the gender perspective. Mexico: CEAMEG. “WORK HARASSMENT OR MOBBING”. http://www.dt.gob.cl/m/1620/articles95386_archivo_fuente.pdf (2007) “MOBBING AT WORK. SU PROBLEMÁTICA ”http://www.bioeticacs.org/iceb/investigacion/EL_MOBBING_EN_EL_TRABAJO.pdf (2002) Escat Cortés María. (2003, September 20). Mobbing or workplace harassment. Recovered from https://www.gestiopolis.com/mobbing–acoso–laboral/Luna Lagunes Xochitl Abigail. (2016, June 4). Mobbing. Harassment at work and its consequences.Recovered from https://www.gestiopolis.com/mobbing–acosolaboral–consequencesSánchez Ávila María Fernanda. (2016, April 1). Mobbing and its impact on Labor and Professional Development.Retrieved from
