Workplace mobbing: gender differences and employee experiences in the public and private sectors

Abstract

This article examines differences in workplace mobbing across genders and employment sectors, based on quantitative data from 387 Lithuanian employees. The study aims to identify how the prevalence, intensity and consequences of mobbing differ between men and women, as well as between the public and private sectors. Data were collected via an anonymous online survey, statistical analyses included χ² tests, Mann–Whitney U tests and Spearman’s correlation. The results indicate that men reported experiencing mobbing significantly more often and rated its intensity higher, whereas women were more likely to experience horizontal, socially mediated forms of mobbing. Employees in the public sector experienced mobbing significantly more frequently than those in the private sector and the negative outcomes - such as decreased motivation, reduced work performance, career setbacks and distrust in the organization - were particularly pronounced in the public sector. These findings confirm that mobbing is a structurally conditioned phenomenon linked to hierarchy, proceduralism, power relations, organizational culture, suggesting that prevention should focus on institutional rather than individual interventions.