Cyberbullying in the workplace: it's relationship with self-esteem, stress and job-related affective well-being

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate cyberbullying in the workplace and its relationship with self-esteem, stress and job-related affective well-being. The study used a cross-sectional correlational design. 96 participants were accessed by paper questionnaire (N=37) and by an equivalent online questionnaire (N=59). Participants were required to answer four demographic questions followed by Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) (Cohen & Williamson, 1988), The Job-related Afective Well-Being Scale (JAWS) (Van Katwyk, Fox, Spector & Kelloway, 2000), and the Cyber Negative Acts Questionnaire (Cyber NAQ) (Spirgg, Axtell, Coyne & Farley, 2012). 26% (N=25) of participants were found to be vixtims of cyberbullying in the workplace. Results revealed that experience of negative cyber acts in the workplace were found to be related to self-esteem, stress and job-related affective well-being. Victims and non-victims of workplace cyberbullying were found to significantly differ on levels of stress and job-related affective well-being. The results of this study highlight the issue of syberbullying in the workplace and associated effects upon victims.