| Summary: | This study aimed at exploring workplace bullying as psychological violence in institutions of
higher learning in general and among the academic staff of the National University of Lesotho in
particular. The purpose this study was to find out the sources and forms of workplace bullying in
the National University of Lesotho, to determine the influence of workplace bullying on staff
psychological wellness, to analyse how staff cope with workplace bullying, and develop
workplace bullying and psychological wellness models for effective management of workplace
bullying.
The methodology for this study was the qualitative research approach, with an overarching
intention of making meaning out of the meaning made by interviewees of their experiences
related to workplace bullying. Data for this study was collected through a semi-structured
interview on twenty academic staff members of the aforementioned institution. Data analysis
was done through the iterative and inductive methods of the Interpretive Phenomenological
Analysis (IPA), for the generation of an integrated narrative of intervieweesâ meaning making of
their experiences of workplace bullying.
The findings of the study highlighted the following issues:
Interviewees defined workplace bullying to include the following aspects: abuse of status,
covert and or overt negative behaviors, premeditated intention to impose oneâs will and
suppress that of others, devaluing others, and causing harm to the victims of bullying.
From the sources of workplace bullying in the present study, it emerged that university
restructuring of the National University of Lesotho (NUL) is the most important source
of workplace bullying, preceding management, colleagues, students, faculty academic
hierarchy, and faculty administrative hierarchy in that order.
Staff devaluing, expatriate syndrome, authoritarian management and usurpation of
power, communication bullying, unknown politicized agenda, and economic/financial
bullying were the main forms of workplace bullying experienced by the interviewees of
the present study. Interviewees experienced negative self image, negative emotions, low energy level, and
minimal self motivation as consequences of workplace bullying on their psychological
wellness.
Interviewees coped effectively and ineffectively with workplace bullying through
denying-withdrawing-helplessness, group support systems, self valorization, physical
exercises, and displacement. Two special cases were highlighted by this study in relation
to the proactive mechanisms they used to cope with workplace bullying, i.e. a sense of
self worth, resourcefulness, and an internal locus of control.
In order to effectively manage workplace bullying, interviewees suggested the following
strategies: inclusive staff valorization, open communication, professional humane
change, continuity, and the provision of professional services.
The researcher proposed the following models to facilitate understanding and management of
workplace bullying: The Integral Model of Workplace Bullying, The Integral Model of
Psychological Non-Wellness, workplace bullying in the National University of Lesotho in the
light of the Integral Model of Workplace Bullying, The Integral Model of Workplace Bullying
and Psychological Non-Wellness, Psychological Non-Wellness in NUL in the light of the
Integral Model of Psychological Non-Wellness, and The Integral Anti-bullying and
Psychological Wellness Enhancement Model (IAPWEM). Recommendations were also made by
the researcher for the development by the Lesotho government of anti-bullying policies.
Since this study revealed the link between workplace bullying and university restructuring in
NUL, the researcher hopes that the necessary awareness raising intended through this study will
elicit proactive, creative and in-depth concerted actions by all stakeholders of the higher
education system of Lesotho in particular and of Africa in general. Finally, it is the fervent hope
of the researcher that results of this study will also highlight the inevitability of the ongoing
university reforms, while emphasizing the categorical imperative that this process be carried out
in a humane spirit that treats university staff with dignity, respect, fairness, and justice, in order
to mitigate the nefarious effects of workplace bullying.
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