PREVENTION OF MOBBING / BULLYING AS A PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESSOR

Relevance of the research.The problem of workplace mobbing incorporating bullying as an intensepsychosocial stressor has been examined in foreign countries for three decades, at the same time searching foranswers on how to reduce the harm of the phenomenon to organizations and their members. Single studies of thisphenomenon in Lithuania started only about a decade ago and remain sparse, thus, both organizations and thegeneral public lack knowledge about the measures of prevention of the phenomenon. Research shows that mobbingand bullying remain a topical problem in the management of organizations, which is influenced by individualmembers of organizations, factors of organizational management and the social and cultural processes in thesocieties that can lead to different consequences in each country. Therefore, in this case it is important to evaluatethe level of exploration of the phenomenon, that is, what data can be available when choosing preventiveinstruments. The significance of research carried out internationally andthe recommendations provided isundeniable, but when analysing the scenarios of prevention of mobbing and bullying it is necessary to evaluate theprevention measures proposed on the basis of research on the negative relationships between employees in aparticular country.Theresearch problemis posed by the question of what are the factors of mobbing/bullying as apsychosocial stressor, and how to reduce the effect of these stressors to employees by preventive measures.Research subject:prevention of mobbing / bullying as a psychosocial stressor.Research purposewas todefine preventive measures of mobbing/bullying as a psychosocial stressor.The followingobjectiveswere formulated to achieve the purpose:1.To discuss prevention measures of mobbing/bullying as a psychosocial stressor.2.To evaluate the state of exploration of mobbing/bullying prevention in the studies carried out inLithuania.3.To distinguish the external factors that help to ensure the prevention of mobbing and bullying inorganizations.Research methods.The article is prepared applying the methods of systemic analysis of academicliterature, logical analysis and synthesis of theoretical research carried out. Organizational factors of risk ofmobbing/bullying are distinguished on the basisof the studies carried out abroad in the last two decades.Outcomes and conclusions.Most scientific research on prevention of mobbing and bullying is focussedon restoration of functionality of organizational management. That is, the emphasis is on the models oforganizational management that proved to be correct and ensure a clear and accurate distribution of tasks, wisdomof leadership, formation of a healthy climate of the organization, development of the system of prevention ofbullying in general, training of managers and employees. Studies show that in order to reduce the damage ofbullying and mobbing in organizations, both internal and external resources are not fully used. However, it mustbe recognised that the societal norms, values, aspects ofmoral and law are directly reflected in organizations.Though it is fair, but it is not fully rational to require from organizations something which has not become thenorm in the society, the members of which form organizations. The studies of mobbing/bullying in Lithuanianorganizations are carried out for a relatively short time and are not abundant. Most empirical research focuses onthe analysis of the situation (occurrence of mobbing in the organization, effect on health) in individual areas ofprofessional activities and provides recommendations only in a few narrow aspects of the management oforganizations in formulating prevention policies. It is therefore difficult not only to evaluate the extent of thephenomenon, but also the capacity of organizations to solve the problem, the more so as the country lackscomprehensive and complex research on mobbing/bullying prevention policies in organizations. After evaluationof the results of studies carried out by various authors and the insights, four keyexternal factors that have asignificant influence on prevention of mobbing and bullying in the organization can be distinguished:epidemiology of bullying in the society; capacity of the education system to deal with the problem of bullying andmobbing inorganizations and develop effective training programs; legal regulation of bullying and mobbing;development of the policy of publicity and openness, encouraging to accept the existing problems and stimulatingdiscussions of various groups in the society.In this respect, active work of academic community in developing thetraining programmes and presenting data of scientific research to the general public would be significant. In furtherresearch it would make sense to expand the empirical research, analysing the practically applied means ofprevention of mobbing/bullying in organizations and their effectiveness.Keywords:mobbing, bullying, psychosocial stressor, prevention.