Author: Mykolas Deikus

When persons are bullied at work or experience mobbing, they are usually advised to contact their management, a psychologist, or the State Labour Inspectorate. These are important steps. But are they sufficient? Why does part of victims still remain alone with their experiences?

Research shows that mobbing causes more than just psychological pain. It affects the whole person: the individual’s sense of security, relationships with others, self-esteem, and even the person’s understanding of the meaning of life. In other words, it is the experience that cannot be addressed solely with conventional “recipes” that are often offered to organizations.

What do victims really expect?

Victims of mobbing first of all expect very simple things. That the persecution of colleagues or managers will stop, that someone will intervene and defend them, that justice will be restored. However, other expectations emerge, such as to be heard, understood, supported, to feel the meaning of work and life again.

These expectations manifest themselves in different ways. Some of them are directed at the organization itself, expecting that managers will not turn a blind eye and will protect. Other expectations are related to relationships: people need support from colleagues, the opportunity to unburden themselves and be understood. Still others go beyond workplace boundaries and turn to professionals or expect support from the loved ones or the community.

In reality, however, these expectations often remain unfulfilled. Victims may feel guilty, ashamed, and believe that they must deal with mobbing themselves. To people around, it may seem that he or she is doing too little to change the situation. This leads to a paradoxical situation – the opportunities for help seem to be in place, but the person is left alone.

The fragmented assistance system

In recent decades, considerable attention has been paid to the consequences of mobbing and organizational solutions. However, research shows that assistance often remains fragmented. Organizations, state institutions, psychologists, lawyers each have their own way of dealing with workplace mobbing, but these efforts are rarely combined into a unified and consistently functioning assistance framework.

This system reveals another shortcoming – the religious or spiritual dimension of human experience is rarely taken into account, although for part of people it becomes an important support while going through a painful experience.

Research shows that religious beliefs can help give meaning to negative experiences and traumas, strengthen resilience, and encourage people to seek help. In such situations, victims often turn not only to professionals but also to clergy or religious communities. However, so far, this source of help remains poorly integrated into the common framework of assistance.

How are people actually solving the problem?

A survey conducted in Lithuania (over a thousand employees were surveyed) showed that when people experienced hostile behaviour, they usually tried to deal with it on their own. A smaller proportion turns to their immediate environment, seeking support from family or friends. Only a few people consult specialists. The most important thing is that a significant share does nothing at all. Not because the problem is insignificant, but because they do not expect to receive real help.

Religious people find another way to get help – they lean on God. Some do this personally, through prayer or other practices, others seek support in the community. Still others go even further, combining psychological and managerial support with spiritual help provided by clergy or laypeople.

It is important to note that the decision to turn for help is often determined not only by the situation itself but also by the person’s relation to the surrounding environment. That is, trust, previous experiences, knowledge about assistance possibilities or recommendations. Therefore, if there are people in the religious community who are trusted, with whom individuals share common values, and who are not only ready to help but also know how to do it, they are those particular people to whom individuals turn for help.

Chaplains operating “between two worlds”

However, even in cases where the chaplain works in the organization, assistance is not always provided consistently. Chaplains and spiritual assistants in organizations often have to manoeuvre “between two worlds”, balancing the mission of helping the person with what managers expect of them.

On the one hand, chaplains can provide important emotional and spiritual support. However, it is often not entirely clear what their role is and how they should act. As a result, everything often depends on their own initiative. On the other hand, they are often left alone to find solutions and to learn. In Lithuania, pastoral care of employees is not being purposefully developed, especially when it comes to assistance in solving complex situations related to psychological violence.

Sometimes managers treat chaplains as a symbolic means to demonstrate that the organization cares about ethics and employee well-being. The chaplain is included in a special committee not because he is an expert in this field or capable of recognizing and solving conflicts, but because he is a priest.

Ready to change your approach?

The problem of mobbing is often solved by looking for perpetrators or applying single measures. However, research shows that this is not enough and a broader approach is needed. The one that would allow us to understand that this is not just a psychological problem but the experience that is damaging and killing.

Religious and communal resources in this system are not an alternative to traditional assistance. They supplement it with what is often lacking: faith, hope, meaning, and a sincere relationship with God and people. As long as assistance is fragmented, the person is left alone. Meanwhile, a combination of different forms of help results in what is most needed – a coherent, comprehensive assistance framework. The biggest change begins not with new “recipes” but with the ability to make use of what already exists as well as with a broader view of the very person.

Mykolas Deikus
Junior Researcher
Faculty of Catholic Theology
Vytautas Magnus University

Funding was provided by the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT), contract No. S-MIP-23-34.

To cite: Deikus, M. (2026). When Co-workers Hurt: Are We Really Making Use of All Resources? Available at: https://www.mobingas.lt/en/when-co-workers-hurt-are-we-really-making-use-of-all-resources/