| Abstract [eng] |
The article presents theoretical, experimental and empirical data that reveals nature, prevalence, causes, expressions and consequences of mobbing phenomenon. Psychical terror (mobbing) in working life means hostile and unethical communication which is directed in a systematic way by one or a number of persons mainly toward one individual. Mobbing manifests in three ways: (1) by employees against a colleague, (2) by employees against a subordinate and (3) by employees against a superior. It may be described as horizontal, downward and upward mobbing. Whatever its direction is, it consists of or includes the harmful treatment of or the putting of harmful pressure on an employee, often with the intention and effect of inducing him to leave (Zucker, 1996). These actions take place often (almost every day) and over a long period (at least for six months) and, because of this frequency and duration, result in considerable psychic, psychosomatic and social misery (Leyman, 1996). Typically, there are five phases of mobbing, the first being the initial conflict or critical incident stage. The second phase is where psychological abuse is increasingly directed at the victim. The third phase appears when management intervenes, often siding with the perpetrators, and the levels of harm increase. The fourth phase is recognizable when the target is accused of being ‘difficult’ or ‘mentally ill’ and the final phase is marked by the expulsion of the target from their employment (Davenport et al., 1999). “Not infrequently, mobbing leads to the end of the target’s career, marriage, health, and livelihood. From a study of circumstances surrounding suicides in Sweden, H. Leymann (1996) found that about twelve percent of people who take their own lives have recently been mobbed at work” (Leyman, 1996). L. Shallcross (2003) suggests 12 criteria by which mobbing may be recognized. [...]. |
