Work Conflict-Inappropriate Behaviour (Harassment, Bullying and Mobbing) at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia

Abstract

Research has demonstrated that the consequences of harassment, bullying and mobbing (grouped under the term inappropriate behaviour) can lead to both short and long term mental health problems. However, there is little research on inappropriate behaviour in Malaysia, which has a multi-ethnic society and Asian culture, and so the correlates of inappropriate behaviour are likely to differ from the experience of European and North American countries. Research to date (in Malaysia) has tended to focus only on the personal well-being of alleged victims including stress, long working hours, insomnia. This focus has meant that the aetiology of inappropriate behaviour in Malaysia is not well understood, inlcuding its dispersal, causes and impact. In the present study completed questionnaires were obtained from 108 employees' from various professions in clinical and non- clinical backgrounds at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, obtained via stratified random sampling. Preliminary analyses show that the presence of inappropriate behaviour (42.6%) at the workplace is considered to be high. The study shows that, within a sample of Malaysia health care employees, exposure to inappropriate behaviour at work does not differ between grades and types of employment. The research also demonstrates that the factor structure of the Job Satisfaction Scale might not be appropriate in a Malaysian sample and an alternative factor structure is proposed.