Workplace bullying among healthcare workers: Reporting, organisational resolution, and associations with mental health and work productivity

Abstract Background Workplace bullying is common in healthcare and is associated with adverse psychological and occupational consequences. However, less is known about reporting, organisational resolution, and their relationship with mental health and work productivity. This study examined these pathways across a broad healthcare workforce. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 516 healthcare workers in a Nigerian teaching hospital, including clinical, technical, administrative, and ancillary personnel. Workplace bullying was assessed using the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised, mental health using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and work productivity using the Healthcare Productivity Survey. Chi-square tests, independent-samples t -tests, multivariable logistic regression, and one-way analysis of variance were used. Results Among 516 healthcare workers, 267 (51.7%) met the criterion for workplace bullying. Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were present in 51.6%, 58.7%, and 31.0%, respectively. Among those experiencing bullying, 197 (73.8%) did not report it. Of the 70 who reported, 21 (30.0%) reported no action, 23 (32.9%) were dissatisfied with the action taken, and 26 (37.1%) were satisfied with the organisational response. Male workers and supervisors were more likely to report bullying, while clinical workers and those with longer employment duration were less likely to report. Reporting was also more likely when bullying was perpetrated by colleagues than superiors. Reporting was more common when bullying involved physically intimidating behaviours than work-related and person-related bullying. Among reporters, satisfactory resolution was more common among workers with a supervisory role and those bullied by superiors and was associated with higher education, longer employment duration, and greater supervisor and colleague support. Depression scores were highest among those bullied by patients/relatives ( p < .001). Productivity scores differed by bullying source ( p = .029) and reporting/resolution status ( p = .026), with higher scores among those bullied by patients/relatives and those whose reports were satisfactorily resolved. Conclusions Workplace bullying was common, with substantial underreporting and limited satisfactory resolution. Bullying source was associated with reporting, resolution, depression, and productivity, while satisfactory resolution was associated with higher productivity. These findings highlight the importance of accessible, trusted, and responsive organisational mechanisms for managing workplace bullying. Causal relationships cannot be inferred from this cross-sectional study.