Misbehaviour and Mistreatment in Organizational Work Situations Before and Since Covid-19: Empirical Findings from Singapore

Proceedings of The 4th International Conference on New Trends in Social Sciences

Year: 2022

DOI:

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Misbehaviour and Mistreatment in Organizational Work Situations Before and Since Covid-19: Empirical Findings from Singapore

Ruby Toh, Yong Liang Ong

 

ABSTRACT: 

This paper examines workplace mistreatment and misbehaviour in Singapore, a small South-East Asian country, before and since the Covid-19 pandemic. It also looks at the types of mistreatments encountered across different work situations such as paid employment, job search, internship, apprenticeship, traineeship, and voluntary work. In addition, the paper highlights the impact of workplace mistreatment and misbehaviour on the individual, family and organization. This study is based on a recent survey of 100 individuals who experienced workplace mistreatment and misbehaviour during the past five years. The study found that workplace mistreatment and misbehaviour have serious and occasionally long-lasting impact on the individual and family with respect to stress levels, job satisfaction and career decisions. In addition, the availability of resources and support in organizations, social agencies and the family are important to the recovery of workplace mistreatment victims. Workplace mistreatment and misbehaviour is a relatively less researched area of organizational behaviour studies despite its prevalence and often long-lasting deleterious impact on the individual, organization and society as a whole. This is one of few studies ever conducted in this genre in Singapore that looks at workplace misbehaviour and mistreatment at different workplaces before and since Covid-19. The study has practical implications in informing good workplace practices and policies for organizational inclusivity, diversity, ethnic harmony and worker wellbeing.

keywords: Covid-19, Discrimination, Harassment, HR policies, Workplace.