Title: Does workplace bullying influence employee performance? Examining moderating effects of emotional intelligence in academic institutions

Authors: Somya Gaur; Sandhya Sinha

Addresses: Maharishi School of Business Management, Maharishi University of Information and Technology, Lucknow 226013, India ' Maharishi School of Business Management, Maharishi University of Information and Technology, Lucknow 226013, India

Abstract: This study investigates the impact of workplace bullying (WB) on employee performance (EP) in academic institutions, examining the moderating role of emotional intelligence (EI) and the mediating role of psychological resilience. The findings, derived from an empirical approach and interviews with 530 academicians from Indian educational institutes, underscore the detrimental effects of WB. Behaviours characterised by rudeness, hostility, mistreatment, and disparagement contribute to fostering WB within academic institutions. Furthermore, a negative correlation was observed between WB and EP and psychological resilience. Employees with higher levels of resilience demonstrated a mediating effect, mitigating the detrimental influence of bullying on their job performance. Interestingly, the study found a positive and significant moderating effect of EI on the relationship between WB and EP. These findings offer valuable insights for fostering a supportive and respectful work environment while highlighting the importance of psychological resilience for EP.

Keywords: emotional intelligence; workplace bullying; employee performance; psychological resilience; academic institutions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPMB.2025.148686

International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 2025 Vol.21 No.2, pp.197 - 217

Received: 25 Apr 2024
Accepted: 25 May 2024
Published online: 19 Sep 2025 *

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