Being pushed and pulled: a model of US HR professionals’ roles in bullying situations
| Date | 02 February 2015 |
| Pages | 119-139 |
| Published date | 02 February 2015 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-11-2013-0210 |
| Author | Renee L. Cowan,Suzy Fox |
Being pushed and pulled: a model
of US HR professionals’roles in
bullying situations
Renee L. Cowan
Department of Communication, University of Texas at San Antonio,
San Antonio, Texas, USA, and
Suzy Fox
Department of Management, Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to clarify how human resource professionals (HRPs) in the
United States (US) understand their roles in bullying situations and how they perceive others (targeted
employees and senior management) understand their roles. It is important to understand these role
expectations as HRPs are integral actors in bullying situations and are often evaluated negatively by
those in bullying situations.
Design/methodology/approach –Strauss & Corbin’s grounded theory approach was used to uncover
HRPs role perceptions. Narrative and respondent in-depth interviews were conducted with HRPs and
revealed an evolving HR role that clashed with perceived target and senior management role expectations.
Findings –This research has revealed a theoretical model of the progressive role HRPs play in
bullying situations. The authors discovered HRPs play several important roles in bullying situations
and they link these roles in a temporal and situational manner. They first play the role of first, a trust
listener; second, an objective, neutral third-party investigator; third, a management advisor; and fourth,
a mediator/trainer/coach. Throughout this role execution they also became an emotional laborer.
This model was often in contention with the HRP’s perceptions of targets and senior management
expectations in bullying situations.
Originality/value –This research revealed a more detailed, nuanced view of the roles HRPs play in
bullying situations and called existing research on US HRPs and their roles in bullying situations
into question. How HRPs view their roles and role expectations is revealing of why and how they deal
with allegations of bullying the way they do. This research has practical value for HR, management,
targets, and organizations in general.
Keywords Qualitative, Human resources, Grounded theory, Policy, Roles,
Human resource professional, Workplace bullying
Paper type Research paper
With the recent allegations in the NFL and talk of the Healthy Workplace Bill, issues of
bullying at work are continuing to receive airplay in the US popular media (Branch and
Belson, 2013). Workplace bullying (WB) is generally defined as extreme, negative, and
pervasive or persistent workplace abuse achieved though communication, experienced
by targets as an imbalance of power, which can cause distress, humiliation, and other
adverse consequences for the target and the organization (Einarsen et al., 2009; Rayner
and Keashly, 2005). WB is an extreme form of aggression (Martinko et al., 2006)
grounded in negative, repeated and persistent verbal and nonverbal communicative
behaviors at the level of employee interaction and sustained by cultural and societal
norms (Lutgen-Sandvik and Tracy, 2012). In the US, bullying is different from illegal
harassment because bullying behaviors are not enacted “because of”the target’s
membership in a protected class, and the refore is often called “status-blin d
harassment”(see Stone, 2012; Willborn et al., 2007).
Personnel Review
Vol. 44 No. 1, 2015
pp. 119-139
©Emerald Group Publis hing Limited
0048-3486
DOI 10.1108/PR-11-2013-0210
Received 17 November 2013
Revised 24 April 2014
2 June 2014
Accepted 14 June 2014
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0048-3486.htm
119
Model
of US HR
professionals’
roles
Human resource professionals (HRPs) are integral actors in bullying situations
because targets often seek them out when bullying occurs (Ferris, 2009; Glendinning,
2001; Lewis and Rayner, 2003; Salin, 2008). Bullying can be seen as one of the “toxins,”
or emotionally charged situations, HR has to address in the workplace (Frost, 2003).
Kulik et al. (2009) contend HRPs are the “toxin handlers”of the organization. D’Cruz
and Noronha (2010)’s research supports the idea that HR and the organization have
a role in the origination of bullying. Yet, there is little US research dedicated to
understanding the HRP’s viewpoint or role regarding bullying situations (Kulik et al.,
2009). Similarly, Graham and Tarbell (2006) point to the importance of uncovering
additional voices, beyond academics and senior management in regards to HR roles.
Cowan (2012) found from the US perspective the critical issues in HRPs’
understanding of bullying lie in the intentionality of the bully’s behavior and outside
confirmation of abusive behaviors. This research pointed to the idea tha t HRPs may
hold allegations of bullying to a higher standard than other forms of harassment.
In addition, in a survey of HRPs (primarily managers and senior managers), Fox
and Cowan (in press) found a preference for a “reasonable person”criterion, similar to
HR approaches to other forms of harassment –that is, a “reasonable person”would
consider the behavior abusive (p. 14).
Research on WB and HR involvement is primarily informed by the target’s
perspective. Targets, or those employees who believe they have been bullied, are
reported to perceive HRPs as apathetic towards allegations of bullying and believe
HRPs are likely to support or protect the organization in bullying situations
(Glendinning, 2001; Harrington et al., 2012; Namie and Namie, 2003). This discourse
tends to follow two main themes: first, HR does little about WB (Davenport et al., 2002;
Harrington et al., 2012) and second, because of this HR is a primary reason bullying
persists (see Lewis and Rayner, 2003). However the reality of bullying situations is
likely much more complicated. Lutgen-Sandvik and Tracy (2012) argue an important
direction in WB research is to engage the HR perspective. Engaging the HR voice will
help uncover a more detailed picture of bullying situations and HR’s role in them.
Therefore, the purpose of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of how
HRPs see their roles in bullying situations and how they perceive others (the target and
management) understand their roles.
We note that the current study is confined to the role of HRPs in the US. Both HR
functions and the dynamics of bullying may vary dramatically in different cultural and
institutional contexts. These differences should be the focus of future research, but
are beyond the scope of the current study.
Contemporary HRP roles in organizations
In the last 20 years there has been a significant shift in the philosophy that undergirds
the HR profession as a whole (Storey, 1993). This shift is reflected in the contemporary
roles HRPs play –or seek to play –in organizations (Lewis and Rayner, 2003; Storey,
1993; Ulrich, 1997). The HR professional is now predominantly positioned as a strategic
partner to management who is removed from the day-to-day activities of the line
manager (Lewis and Rayner, 2003). A number of researchers have explored these
changing roles (Dyer, 1999; Graham and Tarbell, 2006; Harrington et al., 2012; Ulrich,
1997; Storey, 1993). One model that has been drawn on extensively in academic
research is Ulrich’s Multiple Roles Model (Ulrich, 1997). In an effort to articulate HR as a
profession, Ulrich’s (1997) model focused on the outcomes or “deliverables”of HR work
120
PR
44,1
Get this document and AI-powered insights with a free trial of vLex and Vincent AI
Get Started for FreeStart Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting