Personality tests predict victims of workplace bullying
Long awaited research reveals the personality profile of those who are most at risk of being bullied at work. Victims of workplace bullying are most likely to be anxious, unstable, submissive, introverted and conscientious. The are the key findings of research conducted by Iain Coyne, Elizabeth Seigne and Peter Randall of Hull University. The research is presented on Thursday 6 January at The British Psychological Society’s Annual Occupational Psychology Conference, at The Stakis Metropole Hotel, Brighton. Throughout Europe, workplace bullying is increasingly being recognised as a serious problem. This issue has become of particular importance in the UK since the introduction of the Trade Union Congress’s ‘Beat Bullying at Work’ campaign (October 1998). Until now, previous research has concentrated on the extent of bullying, the effects of bullying and the trigger factors leading to episodes of bullying. Little research has focused upon personality as an explanation of why certain individuals are victims of workplace bullying and others are not. The findings revealed by the team of psychologists from Hull University support the notion that there is a consistent victim profile of instability, introversion, submissiveness and conscientiousness, which may predispose an individual to being bullied at work. The study has obvious implications in assisting organisations in their attempts to combat bullying at work. The researchers are in the process of designing a commercial tool which will be able to identify those most at risk of workplace bullying. By being able to identify these people, bosses will be able to ensure that individuals are suitably supported by the organisation.
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