Research pick: The cultural blind spot of workplace bullying - "Workplace bullying: its causes, consequences and coping strategies"

Workplace bullying is being increasingly acknowledged as a serious problem associated with poor employee well-being and reduced organizational health. A study in the International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion focusing on the issue in Brunei shows how cultural norms can redefine what counts as bullying. The researchers surveyed 160 employees across various sectors and analysed the responses, finding that there is a regionally specific understanding of workplace mistreatment.

In Brunei, employees commonly identify gossip, public insults, false accusations, and the denial of professional respect as bullying behaviour. However, overwork, commonly flagged as a form of abuse in many Western contexts, is rarely perceived as such. The researchers suggest this perception is different because of different attitudes to authority in a place where expectations of loyalty to superiors are culturally reinforced.

The researchers suggest that Brunei as a high power-distance society, a term used in social sciences to describe cultures where inequalities in power are accepted and rarely challenged. In such a working environment, behaviour that might otherwise be seen as unreasonable, such as excessive workloads or being asked to perform the duties of others, tends to be interpreted as a normal professional obligation. As a result, individuals subjected to this form of pressure often do not name it as bullying, let alone report it.

The study also complicates assumptions about who becomes a target. While conventional narratives often depict passive or underachieving employees as the most vulnerable, the Bruneian data suggests that even diligent, outgoing, or simply emotionally sensitive individuals are susceptible. Their perceived emotional openness or social visibility may, paradoxically, make them more noticeable, and thus more exposed, to hostile behaviour.

The problems this causes can become particular apparent when humour, serving as a social lubricant, is misused to create harmful dynamics. Jokes at the expense of newer employees may begin in jest, but often develop into persistent mockery or exclusion. When employees feel unable to object, especially when their boss is making the joke at their expense, the line between camaraderie and cruelty becomes dangerously blurred.

The researchers suggest that despite its prevalence, workplace bullying remains an unspoken issue in Brunei. Many victims choose not to report mistreatment, deterred by fears of retaliation or being labelled as troublemakers. This silence is compounded by an institutional absence of clear reporting mechanisms and the lack of legal protections specific to workplace harassment. In an increasingly globalised world, we need culturally informed approaches to organizational policy, so that problems like bullying can be eradicated in a culture-sensitive manner.

Zamree, F.M., Sumardi, W.A., Sumardi, W.H. and Anshari, M. (2025) ‘Workplace bullying: its causes, consequences and coping strategies’, Int. J. Work Organisation and Emotion, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp.111–143.