Workplace Bullying Can Permanently Alter Personality Traits

Workers who experience bullying at their workplace can suffer permanent changes in their personality traits, a new study has found. Research suggests that being bullied can reduce extroverted tendencies, conscientiousness, and increase neuroticism. The study suggests that workers who are conscientious, extroverted, or emotionally sensitive are more likely to be targeted by bullies. Effective anti-bullying policies and support systems can mitigate the harm caused to employees.

Key Takeaways:

• A new study has found that workers who experience bullying at their workplace can suffer permanent changes in their personality traits.
• Being bullied can reduce extroverted tendencies, conscientiousness, and increase neuroticism.
• Conscientious employees, extroverts, and people who are emotionally sensitive are more likely to be targeted by bullies.
• Effective anti-bullying policies and support systems can mitigate the harm caused to employees.
• The drop in conscientiousness could be because the target feels demotivated by the unfairness of being bullied, or the bullying may take the form of removing meaningful tasks from the colleague.
• Longer periods of bullying were associated with the target becoming less of an extrovert and more neurotic.
• The study suggests that personality changes suffered by bullied employees may be permanent.

Statistics:

• Up to one in ten UK employees experience bullying, which could affect more than three million workers across the country.
• A study drawing on data from 2,469 employees over a four-year period found that being bullied was associated with significant reductions in extrovert traits and conscientiousness.
• The study found that being bullied was also linked to increased neuroticism, which is the tendency to experience negative emotional states such as anxiety, anger, and depression.
• Longer periods of bullying were associated with the target becoming less of an extrovert and more neurotic.

Sources:

• The Conversation -- UK -- By Samuel Farley, Senior Lecturer in Work Psychology, University of Sheffield
• "How workplace bullying can affect your personality" https://theconversation.com/how-workplace-bullying-can-affect-your-personality-265350