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Organizational Strategies to Combat Workplace Bullying and Foster Inclusion
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Organizational Strategies to Combat Workplace Bullying and Foster Inclusion

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Work, Employment and the Labor Market".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2026) | Viewed by 7921

Editor

Dr. Annabelle Neall

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Interests: mental health at work; wellbeing at work; workplace bullying; workplace sexual harassment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Workplace bullying remains a pervasive issue across industries, with far-reaching consequences for employee well-being, organisational performance, and societal equity. At the same time, fostering inclusion has emerged as a critical organizational priority, recognizing the value of diverse perspectives and equitable practices. This Issue invites interdisciplinary perspectives, integrating insights from psychology, organizational behaviour, sociology, and management to tackle these challenges holistically. The aim of this Special Issue on organisational strategies to combat workplace bullying and foster inclusion is to explore innovative and evidence-based approaches to creating safer, more inclusive workplaces.

Submissions are encouraged to address proactive strategies that organisations can adopt to mitigate bullying, including robust reporting mechanisms, leadership training, and the development of supportive workplace cultures. Equally, contributions that explore frameworks for fostering inclusion, such as inclusive leadership, equity-focused policy development, and team-building interventions, are welcomed. Case studies, empirical research, theoretical models, and practice-based insights will shed light on how these issues intersect, particularly in addressing systemic barriers that disproportionately affect marginalised groups. By focusing on actionable strategies, this Issue seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice, offering pathways for organizations to move beyond compliance toward cultivating environments that prioritize respect, dignity, and belonging for all employees.

Dr. Annabelle Neall
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • workplace bullying
  • workplace harassment
  • evidence-based interventions
  • inclusion
  • employee-well-being

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 1337 KB  
Article
Does Support in Organizations Inhibit Power Harassment? An Analysis Based on Self-Esteem and Types of Narcissism
by Ryoichi Semba
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(4), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15040268 - 20 Apr 2026
Viewed by 522
Abstract
In contemporary Japanese workplaces, interpersonal relationship problems have become increasingly serious, leading to heightened psychological stress and declining organizational functioning. One major contributing factor is power harassment (workplace bullying). This study surveyed 1621 Japanese workers to examine how support from supervisors and organizations [...] Read more.
In contemporary Japanese workplaces, interpersonal relationship problems have become increasingly serious, leading to heightened psychological stress and declining organizational functioning. One major contributing factor is power harassment (workplace bullying). This study surveyed 1621 Japanese workers to examine how support from supervisors and organizations influences power harassment, with particular attention to differences in self-esteem levels and narcissistic types. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that among individuals with high self-esteem, supervisor support tended to reduce power harassment in those characterized by the Need for Attention and Praise type, whereas organizational support tended to increase it. Additionally, for those classified as the Sense of Superiority and Competence type, the interaction between ego threat and both types of support showed a tendency to exacerbate power harassment. For individuals with low self-esteem, the interaction between ego threat and both types of support similarly tended to intensify power harassment in the Need for Attention and Praise type. These results suggest that the effects of support are not uniform; rather, they may inhibit or facilitate power harassment depending on individual psychological traits. Therefore, tailoring the method, timing, and source of support to workers’ psychological characteristics is essential for both preventing power harassment and promoting psychological adaptation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organizational Strategies to Combat Workplace Bullying and Foster Inclusion)
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24 pages, 572 KB  
Article
Unpacking the Psychological Processes of Workplace Bullying: A Weekly Diary Comparison of Motivational and Resource Pathways
by Sophie Coulon, Annabelle Neall, Kate Sandford, Emily Furno and Charlotte Keenan
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(4), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15040230 - 1 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1193
Abstract
Workplace bullying is a pervasive interpersonal stressor with well-documented negative consequences for employees; however, the understanding of the psychological processes linking bullying to employee outcomes remains fragmented and constrained by methodological similarity. As a result, it remains unclear which psychological mechanisms are most [...] Read more.
Workplace bullying is a pervasive interpersonal stressor with well-documented negative consequences for employees; however, the understanding of the psychological processes linking bullying to employee outcomes remains fragmented and constrained by methodological similarity. As a result, it remains unclear which psychological mechanisms are most central in explaining how bullying affects employees, particularly at the within-person level. Addressing this gap, the present study compared within-person variation in two mediating processes: basic psychological need (BPN) frustration and psychological capital (PsyCap). Eighty-five participants participated in a five-wave weekly diary study, completing a total of 356 surveys. As predicted, within-person variation in weekly bullying exposure predicted poorer outcomes (i.e., lower energy, higher stress, reduced belonging, and greater turnover intentions). Multilevel mediation analyses showed that BPN frustration mediated these relationships: weeks with more bullying were associated with greater need frustration and poorer outcomes. In contrast, PsyCap did not mediate these relationships. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models provided no support for lagged mediation effects, indicating that neither BPN frustration nor PsyCap transmitted the effects of bullying across weekly intervals. These findings demonstrate that workplace bullying undermines employee outcomes primarily through the contemporaneous frustration of BPN and underscore the importance of organizational interventions that support employees’ autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organizational Strategies to Combat Workplace Bullying and Foster Inclusion)
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14 pages, 411 KB  
Article
From Bystander Silence to Burnout: Serial Mediation Mechanisms in Workplace Bullying
by Jale Minibas-Poussard, Tutku Seckin and Haluk Baran Bingöl
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(9), 540; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14090540 - 8 Sep 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2751
Abstract
The World Health Organization defines burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Similarly, workplace bullying is widely recognized as a significant psychosocial stressor and a potentially traumatic experience, frequently associated with various adverse psychological outcomes. [...] Read more.
The World Health Organization defines burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Similarly, workplace bullying is widely recognized as a significant psychosocial stressor and a potentially traumatic experience, frequently associated with various adverse psychological outcomes. Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, we conceptualized bullying at work as a demand whose detrimental impacts may be intensified by the actions of bullying bystanders who remain silent. This study investigates the relationship between workplace bullying and burnout, with a specific focus on the mediating roles of bystander silence and perceived stress. Data collected from 239 professionals working in the financial sector indicate that the effect of workplace bullying on burnout is significantly mediated by both bystander silence and perceived stress. The proposed serial mediation model underscores the importance of social and individual-level mechanisms in the development of burnout. These findings suggest that effective interventions aimed at preventing workplace bullying must be grounded in a nuanced understanding of organizational context and social dynamics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organizational Strategies to Combat Workplace Bullying and Foster Inclusion)
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25 pages, 881 KB  
Article
Aging and Interpersonal Strain: The Role of Self-Efficacy and Social Drivers of Inclusive Workplaces
by Valentina Sommovigo, Valentina Rosa, Valentina Alfano, Andrea Laudadio and Laura Borgogni
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(5), 258; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14050258 - 23 Apr 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2492
Abstract
As the global workforce ages and multiple generations collaborate in workplaces, addressing the unique needs of diverse age groups becomes critical. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, this study examines how regulatory emotional self-efficacy in managing negative emotions serves as a crucial personal resource [...] Read more.
As the global workforce ages and multiple generations collaborate in workplaces, addressing the unique needs of diverse age groups becomes critical. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, this study examines how regulatory emotional self-efficacy in managing negative emotions serves as a crucial personal resource in protecting against interpersonal strain. It also explores whether this relationship varies between middle-aged and senior employees. Age-related improvements in emotional self-efficacy highlight its significance in shaping perceptions of workplace inclusivity, defined by the inclusive behaviors of social drivers: colleagues, supervisors, and top management. A total of 1068 employees from a leading European telecommunication organization completed online questionnaires measuring regulatory emotional self-efficacy, social drivers of inclusive workplaces, and interpersonal strain. Mediation analyses revealed that regulatory emotional self-efficacy is positively associated with perceptions of inclusive social drivers, which, in turn, are negatively related to interpersonal strain. Multi-group analyses demonstrated that the protective effects of regulatory emotional self-efficacy differ by age. While inclusive colleagues mediate the relationship across all age groups, inclusive top management is particularly significant for employees aged 45–54. These findings deepen the understanding of age-specific dynamics in fostering workplace inclusion and underscore the necessity of tailored organizational strategies to support employee well-being across the lifespan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organizational Strategies to Combat Workplace Bullying and Foster Inclusion)
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