Investigating Bullying and Ill-Treatment within an Organisation: Narrative, Discourse and Storytelling by Frontline Employees

Following two items on an employee engagement survey indicating that Securex had an increased problem of bullying in the workplace, an independent researcher was asked to investigate this change. In order to investigate this issue, a series of eight focus groups were undertaken within three locations nationwide, covering all areas of the Securex Division. Using these focus groups and narratives derived from them, it was found that a number of ill-treatments were present in the organisation, often stemming from managers who lacked people management skills. The narratives provided by participants within the focus groups showed a critical emancipation for those who had experienced negative behaviours, and helped in dispelling the sceptics about bullying being present in the workplace. This in turn assists in the facilitating of organisational healing, which in the future should assist in reducing the quantities of people who feel bullied. The recommendations made include carrying out a two year survey into specific behaviours which will help in identifying any problematic areas for the organisation