Relationship between colleagues’ harassment and teachers’ job satisfaction

Straipsnyje analizuojami subjektyviai suvokiamo priekabiavimo reiškinio ryšiai su mokytojų pasitenkinimu darbu. Priekabiavimo darbe analizei naudota priekabiavimo darbe skalė (WHS, Björkqvist, Österman, 1992). Pasitenkinimo darbu analizei naudotasi pasitenkinimo darbu klausimynu (JSS, Spector, 1985). Ištirti 99 mokytojai iš Kauno vidurinių mokyklų. Aukštesnį priekabiavimo lygį jaučiantys mokytojai yra mažiau patenkinti darbu: didesnis priekabiavimas darbe susijęs su mažesniu pasitenkinimu vadovu, mažesniu pasitenkinimu nenumatytais apdovanojimais, darbo sąlygomis, bendradarbiais, darbo pobūdžiu.Earlier practice in research shows that there is much evidence of work harassment being a topical problem in the world, which causes many negative results to an individual as well as to organizations. Although this phenomenon was a topical issue to European researchers since 1990, in Lithuania it is still a taboo. So far there was only one study of harassment at work (Malinauskienė; Obelenis; Žopagienė, 2005). Our study examines the relationship between colleagues‘ harassment at teachers‘ work and job satisfaction. Work harassment is conceptualized as repeated activities, with the aim of bringing mental (but sometimes also physical) pain, and directed toward one or more individuals who, for one reason or another, are not able to defend themselves (Bjorkqvist; Osterman; Hjelt-Back, 1994a).The study sampe consisted of 99 teachers from 2 secondary schools in Kaunas, Lithuania (87 females, 10 males, 2 respondents did not indicate their sex). Age of the recipients ranged between 22 and 70 years, the average age was 44 years. For the assessment of Work Harassment, Work Harassment Scale (WHS) was used, developed by Kaj Björkqvist and Karin Österman, in 1992. After factor analysis, four factors were dveloped and named as follows: Humiliation, Disruption, Veiled aggression; Open aggression. For the assesment of Job Satisfaction, Job Satisfaction Survey was used, developed by Paul E. Spector in 1985. Results, conclusions. The results indicated that there was a significant correlation between work harasment and job satisfaction. Higher level of the experienced work harassment was related to lower satisfaction with job. Data analysis revealed that two factors: Disruption and Indirect aggression were of highest importance. Both aspects of work harassment are described as forms of Indirect aggression, which is more common for use among females. With regards to these findings we must notice that majority of recipients were also females. It was also found, that two aspects of job satisfaction were of main importance in the research. Satisfaction by supervision and satisfaction by coworkers were related to the majority of factors of work harassment. Lower satisfaction by supervisor and coworkes were related to higher levels of work harassment and it‘s factors. Such results may show that a supervisor becomes the possible harasser or the one who ignores the negative phenomenon. Regarding the results, coworkers may also be possible violators in school settings