Dysfunctional Workplace Case Study

The concept of a dysfunctional workplace behavior is very broad and includes many different elements. The word dysfunctional is defined as “behaving or acting outside social norms” or “by a breakdown of normal or beneficial relationships between members of the group” (Dysfunctional, 2017). Thus, one can infer that any behavior, within an organization, that leads to a negative impact on the relationships among employees or causes a decrease in company efficiency/productivity, could be classified as dysfunctional. This means that dysfunctional workplace behavior can have an impact that ranges from “a mere annoyance to organizational destruction” (Mackenzie, Cliodhna & Garavan, 2011). This creates organizational problems that include, but are

While this research focused on mainly the individual and organizational levels, all three levels are key to understanding a dysfunctional workplace. At the individual level employees commit “deviant behavior, counterproductive behavior, unethical behavior, and/or corrupt behavior” (Mackenzie et al., 2011). This means at the individual level, the dysfunctional behavior actually takes place. At the organizational level, “the environments that produce dysfunctional behavior” can be observed (Mackenzie et al., 2011). These environments include a disregard for norms and policies by many or all employees within an organization (Mackenzie et al., 2011). At the institutional level, ethics and corruption can be observed (Mackenzie et al., 2011). At this level, the focus is on multiple organizations, the way these organizations interact, and the dysfunctional behaviors that these interactions

Bullying is defined as instances where an employee is repeatedly exposed to negative acts from coworkers, supervisors and/or subordinates over a period of time (Incivility, social undermining, bullying, 2010). A few examples of negative acts related to bullying are constant abuse, ridicule, social exclusion, and stating offensive remarks/teasing. Bullying within the workplace may be portrayed in many different ways, for instance, it can be a manager being the perpetrator or another coworker. A few examples of how a manager can act as a bully are by purposely giving one employee more work than another due to disliking the individual, giving unrealistic deadlines or tasks, denying employees necessary time off or even denying access to information needed to perform the job properly. A coworker could bully another coworker by telling rumors about the victim to others in return influencing others not to talk to them, taking full credit for work done in a group setting, or constantly tormenting and putting down the individual. Bullying within the workplace is a significant problem in today’s society. In fact, according to the 2017 WBI U.S Workplace Bullying Survey nineteen percent of working individuals are bullied within their place of work. The study also concluded that sixty one percent of Americans are aware of this abusive conduct in the workplace, yet do not say anything to the perpetrator. Bystanders often do