Cyber-aggression in the workplace

Cyber-aggression or cyber-harassment can be best described in the words of Whitty and Carr: “Takes the form of obscene or hate e-mail/text messages that threaten or frighten, or e-mails/text messages that contain offensive content, such as sexist or racist material. What is unique about this type of workplace harassment, compared to more traditional forms of harassment, is that this material can be sent by people in addition to work colleagues, by other individuals outside the workplace (either known or not known to the person) or even in the form of spam.” (Whitty & Carr 252)

What many do not realize that the phenomenon of cyber-bullying often associated with teenage culture has spread to the workplace in a variety of ways. While this trend is seemingly silent and slow growing, its effects are considered equally hurtful as any form of harassment.

Methods

Often, cyber-aggression is the result of individuals in a workplace being offended/upset/or feeling threatened by organizational problems. They then resort to virtual communication as a form of retaliation. These actions are referred to as flaming by Whitty & Carr, or essentially when an individual online writes with hostility towards a particular person or group of people.

Instant messaging

In a 2003 article, of Workforce Management magazine the author outlines how instant messaging has become both a help and a hindrance in organizations. The ease of use with instant messaging, is partially to blame, "Employees can see who else is available, and if it’s someone they want to talk to, they’re able to connect in real time" the article explains. While this has become an extremely useful tool in workplace communication, instant messengers such at AIM or MSN Messenger are not easily regulated from a managerial aspect, which leads to employees being able to have private conversations on a public platform. These conversations can foster aggressive talk and lead to potentially hurtful information being spread among an organization. Some argue that instant messages are beneficial to the work process because it can easily resolve problems without having to distract the person via phone and you don’t have to wait for an email response.

Email

This is one of the most prevalent tools used in cyber-aggression because of its prevalence in workplace communications. Often upset workers send loaded messages and attach the email to a large group of co-workers that are not involved in the issue to bring attention to it. An article from the Travel Trade Gazette give some advice to avoid being aggressive in emails.

Always give a clear subject
State exactly what you need in a simple manner
Avoid terms like ASAP
Only use reply all when it refers to the whole group
Using all upper case is electronic SHOUTING!
Don’t use texting lexicon
Never send an email when you are upset

Social networking

This is one of the fastest growing ways that workers can lash out against each other. The opportunity is high for individuals to be aggressive in a highly public and open forum. Many choose to speak out at their co-workers or superiors because it is a way for them to vent their feelings while not having to say these things face to face.

References

Bowie, Vaughn, Bonnie Fisher, and Cary L. Cooper. Workplace Violence Issues, Trends, Strategies. Grand Rapids: Willan (UK), 2005.
Cade, Valerie. "Cyber Bullying in the Workplace- When Bullies use technology to launch their attacks." 26 Jan. 2009. 1 May 2009
Davis, Richard A. "Psychological Implications of Technology in the Workplace." Editorial. CyberPsychology and Behavior 4 Nov. 2002: 277.
Greengard, Samuel. "IM speeds workplace communication, but it can also spell trouble." Workforce Management July 2003: 84-85.
Kubicek, Margaret. "Virtual Fighters." Personnel Today 12 Feb. 2008. 1 May 2009.
Lacey, Hoda. ""E" is for etiquette when sending emails." Travel Trade Gazette 13 May 2005: 51.
"Online Recruitment - Cyber-Bullying in the workplace on the increase." United Kingdom - Online Recruitment Magazine - The magazine for recruitment and HR professionals involved in the UK internet recruitment industry. 27 Sept. 2007. 1 May 2009
Sanders, Claire. "Want to tell a lie? Put it in email." The Times Higher Education Supplement 20 Jan. 2007: 1.
Whitty, Monica T., and Adrian N. Carr. "New rules in the workplace: Applying object-relations theory to explain problem Internet and email behaviour in the workplace." Computers in Human Behavior 22 (2004): 235-50.

Aspects of workplaces

Topics	Absenteeism Abusive supervision Aggression Bullying Conflict Control freak Counterproductive behavior Coworker backstabbing Culture of fear Cyber-aggression Democracy Deviance Discrimination Diversity Divide and rule Emotions Employee engagement Employee monitoring Employee morale Employee silence Employee surveys Empowerment Evaluation Feminisation Fit in or fuck off Friendship Gender inequality Gossip Happiness Harassment Health surveillance Humor Incivility Intervention Jargon Kick the cat Kiss up kick down Listening Machiavellianism Micromanagement Mobbing Narcissism Office politics Performance appraisal Personality clash Phobia Positive psychology Privacy Probation Profanity Psychopathy Queen bee syndrome Rat race Relationships Revenge Role conflict Romance Sabotage Safety and health Spirituality Staff turnover Strategy Stress Toxic workplace Training Undermining Violence Wellness Work–family conflict Workload

See also	Corporation Employment Factory Job Office Organization Whistleblower

Templates	Aspects of corporations Aspects of jobs Aspects of occupations Aspects of organizations Employment

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