What is Mobbing?
The literal meaning of mobbing is psychological violence, pressure, harassment, intimidation, disturbance, or causing distress. In workplaces, it refers to a systematic series of actions carried out by one or more individuals against another person or group of people over a certain period, aimed at wearing down, neutralizing, discouraging, preventing work, or forcing someone to leave the job. It damages the victim’s personality, professional status, social relations, or health, and consists of malicious, deliberate, and negative attitudes and behaviors.
Mobbing begins with disrespectful behavior towards employees and gradually affects all aspects of the individual’s life, not only the work environment but also their social life. The behavior is carried out deliberately, directly or indirectly, and the perpetrator abuses their position and authority. Mobbing generally occurs in the workplace; it can be perpetrated by superiors, subordinates, or colleagues of equal rank. It is systematic, repeated continuously through actions or insinuations, intentionally conducted, and aims to drive the target away from work, disrupt their peace in both work and social life, and even negatively affect their psychological and physical health.
Effects of Mobbing on Work Life, Psychology, and Legal Aspect
Employees exposed to mobbing may be unable to complete tasks or perform efficiently, which impacts the company and employer. From a business perspective, it can lead to serious performance declines, reduced productivity, disruption of workplace harmony and order, absenteeism, decreased organizational commitment, and even loss of reputation and brand value if the issue spreads outside the organization. Therefore, mobbing affects not only the targeted individual but also colleagues and the work itself.
Psychological effects of mobbing include depression, headaches, insomnia, panic attacks, anger, distress, weight loss or gain, eating disorders, and skin problems such as itching or rashes. These psychological consequences can lead to physical health problems.
To address these issues, legal measures have been established to protect victims of mobbing. Victims may terminate their employment contract for just cause and, if applicable, claim material and moral compensation. Both private-sector employees and public officials subjected to mobbing can file lawsuits to determine psychological harm and seek compensation for moral and financial damages.
Guides and regulations such as the Ministry of Labor and Social Security’s “Workplace Psychological Harassment Information Guide” and the Prime Ministry Circular on “Prevention of Psychological Harassment (Mobbing) in Workplaces” highlight the importance of combating mobbing in both public and private sectors. Legal frameworks, including the Constitution, Turkish Penal Code, Turkish Code of Obligations, Labor Law, and Law No. 657 on Civil Servants, provide legal measures to prevent mobbing.
However, legal measures alone are not sufficient. Employee and employer awareness, as well as workplace training programs against mobbing, are crucial to effectively prevent this issue.