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A Study of Workplace Bullying and Emotional Strain among Teachers at Universities

Introduction

A study of workplace bullying and emotional strain among teachers at universities. Explore workplace bullying prevalence & emotional strain among university teachers in South Punjab, Pakistan. Study reveals verbal abuse & intimidation; recommends anti-bullying policies & support.

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examines the prevalence of workplace bullying among university teachers at universities in South Punjab, Pakistan. The research further investigates differences in perceptions of workplace bullying and explores emotional burden on teachers’ overall productivity. The current study employed a quantitative research design. The study population covered 207 two hundred and seventeen teachers from three public universities. The sample was selected using simple random sampling from 150 teachers working in faculty of Social Sciences at public universities. The data was collected through a structure questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics t-test through SPSS Software to observe the workplace bullying trends. The results indicated that verbal abuse, intimidation, social exclusion, and psychological manipulation are prevalent forms of workplace bullying. However, the findings revealed no significant gender-based differences in perceptions of workplace bullying. Based on the results, this study recommended that universities should establish anti-bullying policies, structured reporting mechanisms, training programs, and psychological support services to promote a safe and respectful work environment.

Review

This study tackles the pertinent issue of workplace bullying and its emotional strain among university teachers in South Punjab, Pakistan. The objective to assess the prevalence of various bullying forms, examine perceptual differences, and investigate the emotional burden on productivity is highly relevant. Such research is crucial for understanding the challenges faced by educators in specific regional contexts and provides a foundation for developing supportive institutional strategies. The study's focus on a critical professional group in a under-researched geographic area contributes meaningfully to the broader literature on workplace well-being. However, the methodological description in the abstract presents significant ambiguities that require clarification. While a quantitative design and structured questionnaire are appropriate, the sample details are contradictory. The abstract first mentions "207 two hundred and seventeen teachers from three public universities" as the population covered, but then states the "sample was selected using simple random sampling from 150 teachers working in faculty of Social Sciences at public universities." This creates confusion regarding the true population, sampling frame, and the actual size and representativeness of the final sample. Resolving this inconsistency is vital for assessing the study's robustness and the generalizability of its findings. Additionally, while descriptive statistics and t-tests are suitable for prevalence and gender comparisons, it is unclear how the "emotional burden on teachers' overall productivity" was quantitatively assessed and what specific findings emerged from this objective. Despite these methodological points for clarification, the reported findings are significant. The study identifies the prevalence of verbal abuse, intimidation, social exclusion, and psychological manipulation as common forms of workplace bullying, underscoring the severity of the issue within the universities. The finding of no significant gender-based differences in perceptions of bullying is also noteworthy, challenging potential assumptions about differential experiences. The recommendations for establishing anti-bullying policies, structured reporting mechanisms, training programs, and psychological support services are highly practical and directly address the identified problems, offering a clear path for universities to foster safer and more respectful work environments for their faculty.

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