Analysing metaphors used by victims of workplace bullying

Abstract

Many researchers have investigated the effects of workplace bullying on individuals and organisations in an attempt to further their understanding of the nature of this phenomenon. Few researchers, however, have considered the underlying emotional dimensions of workplace bullying. One aim of the study reported here was to examine metaphors used by victims of bullying in an attempt to further understand the emotional dimensions of the problem. Participants were asked to construct metaphors describing the bully, the overall bullying experience, their feelings about themselves, and their feelings towards their organisation. The results showed that the majority of participants used metaphors to help communicate their experiences and to express a wide range of emotions about their experience. Accordingly, it is argued that further investigation into the use of metaphors to describe workplace bullying would enhance our understanding of this phenomenon.