Workplace Bullying and Counterproductive Work Behavior: The Mediation Role of Emotional Labor

Abstract

Bullying in the workplace is a negative behavior and has many harmful consequences for the organization, including counterproductive work behaviors. The present study explores the above causal relationship while examining the mediating role of emotional labor. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are used. Qualitative research was carried out with two phases of group discussion with 10 employees working in enterprises in Vietnam and expert interviews with 6 experts in business administration. Quantitative research is carried out through a pilot test and formal research. The pilot test collected 207 answer sheets, and the data were analyzed by SPSS software to check the scale's reliability. The formal research collected 1,206 questionnaires; then, the data was analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS software. The results found a significant positive effect of employees being bullied at the workplace on their counterproductive work behaviors. At the same time, emotional labor acts as a mediator in this relationship, in which surface acting increases this positive effect, but deep acting attenuates it. Based on the results, the study proposes managerial implications for reducing workplace bullying, improving employees' emotional labor performance, and limiting counterproductive work behaviors.