BACKGROUND: Work and work environment have enormous influences on both
health and production. Psychosocial hazards, including bullying, may be
assuming a major place in occupational health and safety, especially in
developing countries like Nigeria. Work place bullying, though appears latent,
equally appears to receive little attention in workplaces. AIM: The study was to
assess the prevalence and pattern of work place bullying among Workers at the
University of Port Harcourt. METHODOLOGY: Following approval from the Ethical
Committee of the University of Port Harcourt, 600 consenting staffers of the University
of Port Harcourt were recruited by systematic random sampling and pretested
structured closed ended self administered questionnaires were distributed among
respondents. Results were presented via descriptive and analytical methods.
RESULTS: Work place bullying was common and verbal abuse was the most prevalent
(43.9%), followed by assigning meaningless tasks unrelated to the employee’s
job (41.2%). Risk factors capable of making a worker vulnerable to Work place
bullying included work load (98.2%) as the most prevalent risk factor perceived
by the respondents, followed by home-work interface (82.0%), lack of
possibilities to advance (70.1%), interpersonal relationship (64.0%). From the
study, respondents identified periodic in-service training (PIT) 76.7%, as the
most effective possible remedies among others that could be put in place by the
University to reduce the prevalence and burden of psychosocial hazards in the
University. Conclusion: Work place bullying among workers at the University of
Port Harcourt is common occasioned by preventable risk factors. There is need
for the University to institute appropriate occupational health and safety
measures to reduce the harmful occurrences of psychosocial hazards in the
institution in other to improve the working environment.
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