The Importance of Workplace Bullying to Vocational Psychology: Implications for Research and Practice

Workplace bullying is a significant problem in many adult work settings. Much of the research has been conducted by organizational psychologists. It is important for vocational scholars and practitioners to be knowledgeable about the phenomena of workplace bullying, as they are in a position to contribute to the literature base and to counsel perpetrators and targets of workplace bullying. Further, integration of workplace bullying constructs may improve the predictive ability of vocational theories. The authors discuss research findings related to workplace bullying that are relevant to the field of vocational psychology and formulate recommendations for both research and practice. Research on workplace bullying by vocational scholars could lead to a better understanding of individual career development and improved worker interventions.