Workplace bullying - coping strategies of teachers

The present study is based on research regarding bullying in the workplace, specifically aimed at elementary schools teachers in the Czech Republic. The sample consisted of elementary school teachers who had been exposed to regular bullying by their colleagues or superiors for at least half a year. Based on in-depth interviews and subsequent coding and categorization of statements, the main aim of the research was to reflect the strategies used by teachers as victims of workplace bullying used to defend themselves and resolve aggression from their colleagues. These can be classified into passive strategies (such as non-response, misplaced problem, humour) which are the most common forms of defence against escalating aggression, and active defence strategies (e.g. engagement of leadership, legal defence), which were found to be rather uncommon.