Sexual and Bystander Harassment Among Part-Time Employees: Effects on Work Attitudes, Stress, and Withdrawal

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of sexual and bystander harassment experiences on work attitudes, stress, withdrawal, and psychological well-being of part-time employees. Participants included 314 female employees who worked part-time in their organizations. All participants completed a computer-administered workplace experience survey assessing various aspects of their work environment, including personal and bystander harassment experiences, work-related attitudes (supervisor satisfaction, coworker satisfaction, and general job stress), work behaviors (work and job withdrawal), and psychological well-being. Experiences of sexual harassment and bystander harassment were predicted to be negatively related to satisfaction and psychological health and positively related to stress and withdrawal. Both forms of harassment were expected to contribute additively to the prediction of work outcomes and psychological health. Moderator models were examined to explore the potential interactions between sexual and bystander harassment. Results indicated that both forms of harassment were related to work attitudes, stress, and withdrawal. Sexual harassment was the strongest predictor of work outcomes. Discriminant Function Analysis provided additional support for group-based distinctions. The results are discussed in terms of interpersonal and organizational implications, limitations, and future research directions.