Workplace bullying hinders employees' creativity, involvement: Study

Workplace bullying and negative behaviour such as being excluded, humiliated or treated unfairly hinders creative thinking and reduces the likelihood of employees engaging in innovative side projects, a study by Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow has found.

In many organisations, employees work on secret, self-initiated ideas developed without management's knowledge and present them to the management once they are ready to deliver significant results leading to business success, it said.

According to officials, the researchers employed a mixed-method approach to gather the necessary data.

In the experimental scenario-based part of the research, the team gathered input from 112 participants. In the survey-based part of the research, input from 313 employees working in IT-enabled companies was gathered.

"Our study sheds light on how subtle forms of workplace mistreatment can silently erode employees' creative potential. Organisations must create an environment where support, respect, and open dialogue are the norm to unlock true innovation," Rishab Chauhan, PhD scholar, IIM Lucknow, told PTI.

The study found that workplace bullying reduces the likelihood of employees engaging in innovative side projects while negative workplace behaviour drains employees' "relational energy" which they gain from feeling supported or recognised  Open communication between managers and employees can help preserve and revive creative thinking, it noted.

The study has bagged the "Best Paper in Proceedings Award" in the conflict management division at the prestigious 85th Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, held at Copenhagen, Denmark.

"It is an honour to have our work recognised at a global platform like AOM. We hope these findings encourage companies to not only curb workplace bullying but also actively nurture the creative spark in their employees," Payal Mehra, Professor, Communications, IIM Lucknow.

The study highlights the critical need for organisations to actively identify and address negative workplace behaviour. It also highlights the need for strong communication and anti- bullying policies to encourage employee-driven innovation.

"Organisations should establish a proper punitive system for detrimental workplace bullying at workplace. Firms can include employee behaviour as a significant metric for their performance assessment to mitigate workplace abuse. They should also offer secure avenues for employees to lodge appeals and enact proactive measures against workplace bullying," the study said.