INVESTIGATING WORKPLACE VIOLENCE REPORTING BEHAVIOUR: STATE OF AFFAIRS AND THE WAY FORWARD

Autores/as

  • Kennedy Ochien’g Gendo Student, Masters of Science, Forensics and Security Management (Corporate Forensics), Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri, Kenya
  • Ezekiel Mbitha Mwenzwa Faculty member, Dr., Department of Social Sciences, Karatina University, Kenya
  • Teresa Waithera Head of the Counseling Department, Dr. Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri, Kenya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejefr.v9i3.2008

Palabras clave:

bureaucracy, organizational culture, personal traits, violence, workplace

Resumen

Workplace violence is a global concern, with 20% of workers worldwide experiencing one type in their working life. While many organizations have regulations regarding interpersonal relationships between employees, the script and practice do not align, resulting in an unsafe workplace. This implies staff and generally stakeholder demotivation and demoralization that work against performance and productivity. This paper is the result of a 2024 field study undertaken at Tom Mboya University in Kenya to understand the determinants of workplace violence reporting behaviour among staff. It sought to establish how bureaucracy, organizational culture and personal traits interacted with workplace violence reporting behaviour among staff at the university. The study did a census and combined quantitative and qualitative methods of social investigation, including a survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observation covering the entire university population of 93 members of staff. The findings show that workplace violence at the university is multifaceted, with verbal abuse, threats, intimidation and psychological harassment being the most reported forms. Hence, bureaucracy, organizational culture and personal traits affected staff motivation to report workplace, lending credence to the assertion that the reported cases were just a tip of the iceberg. Consequently, it was concluded that addressing workplace violence in the university required cultural transformation in addition to existing policies. Going forward, recommendations are made to make the workplace not only safer, but also productivity-enhancing.

 

JEL: J28, J81, K31, M14

 

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Biografía del autor/a

  • Kennedy Ochien’g Gendo, Student, Masters of Science, Forensics and Security Management (Corporate Forensics), Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri, Kenya

    Kennedy Ochien’g Gendo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology and Security Management from Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri, Kenya, with a specialization in Digital and Cyber Forensics Technology. He is the Head of the Department of Safety and Security at Maseno University, Kenya, where he has held positions of significant responsibility. His professional interests include corporate security, cyber forensics, forensic investigations, and institutional safety and governance. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Forensics and Security Management (Corporate Forensics) at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Kenya.

  • Ezekiel Mbitha Mwenzwa, Faculty member, Dr., Department of Social Sciences, Karatina University, Kenya

    Dr. Ezekiel Mbitha Mwenzwa hold a BA (Social Work, 1999) and an MA (Sociology, 2005) from the University of Nairobi and a Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Studies-Human Ecology, 2019) from the University of Eldoret, Kenya. He is a faculty member at the Department of Social Sciences, Karatina University, Kenya, where he teaches Sociology and Community Development. His area of specialisation is gender and dryland development, on which he has widely published. His most recent publication is, Gender and Restorative In/Justice in the Context of Crime and Punishment among the Akamba Ethnic Group of Kenya, a book chapter in Gudhlanga, E. S., C. Chirimuuta, & G. Makaudze (2024). Re-Thinking Indegenous Knowledge Systems in the Contemporary Global Discourse: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach, published by the Zimbabwe Open University in 2024.

  • Teresa Waithera, Head of the Counseling Department, Dr. Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri, Kenya

    Dr. Teresa Waithira, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist and academic specializing in mental health and psychological support services in higher education contexts. She holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the United States International University–Africa (USIU-A) and currently serves as the Head of the Counseling Department at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Kenya. Her expertise lies in trauma-informed care, psychosocial interventions, and student mental wellness.

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Publicado

2025-08-11

Número

Vol. 9 Núm. 3 (2025)

Sección

Articles