Workplace Aggression

Abstract

The vast majority of workplace aggression is perpetrated by members of the public, or organizational outsiders. Organizational employees (i.e., insiders) seldom kill or physically assault their colleagues. The most frequent manifestations of insider-initiated aggression involve less dramatic acts, such as shouting at and spreading rumors about colleagues. Both individual (e.g., alcohol consumption, hostile attributional bias) and organizational (e.g., overcontrolling supervision, perceived injustice) factors predict which individuals are most likely to engage in insider aggression. Research has shown that victims of insider-initiated aggression experience negative personal (e.g., emotional well-being and physical health) and organizational (e.g., work attitudes) outcomes. Despite increasing research on workplace aggression, significant gaps in our knowledge remain.