Workplace Harassment and Job Satisfaction in University Teachers

A Qualitative Inquiry into Workplace Harassment

Abstract

Workplace harassment negatively impacts the job performance, health, and psychological well-being of the victims. Harassment often comes from individuals in positions of power or peers. Academia has been slow to address this issue due to sociocultural biases and concerns about reputation. This study examined women university teachers' perceptions and experiences of three forms of harassment: discriminatory, personal, and verbal. Using a thematic analysis, in-depth interviews were conducted with twelve women teachers at a public sector university in Lahore. A criterion sampling strategy was used. We contacted only those women who had already registered their complaints with the institutional harassment committee and included them in the study after obtaining their consent. Those women who left their jobs after registering the complaints were excluded. Participants were asked to describe their experiences of being harassed and how it has affected their lives. The interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. The new themes that came up were job dissatisfaction, insecurity, helplessness, low work motivation, psychological distress, anger, and a lack of trust in management. The findings of the qualitative study revealed that workplace harassment caused extreme distress, leading to deterioration in job performance, relationships, health, and well-being. Factors discouraging victims from reporting included legal loopholes, ineffective solutions, and lack of awareness. Barriers in law implementation need revisiting to facilitate access and action against harassment among academicians. The study emphasizes promoting a safe and respectful workplace environment that fosters gender equality, dignity, and respect.