Awareness and Experiences with Workplace Mobbing: A Mixed-Methods Study of a Turkish Local Government

Background Workplace mobbing and low-intensity incivility are associated with severe psychological and organizational consequences, however empirical evidence from local government organizations remains limited. In Türkiye (Turkey), municipal administrations employ large and diverse workforces, where hierarchical relations and political pressures may create fertile ground for subtle forms of harassment and organizational silence. This study examined employees’ awareness of and lived experiences with workplace mobbing in Manisa Water and Sewerage Administration (MASKI) and explored how organizational norms and support mechanisms shape their responses to mistreatment. Methods We used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, with a cross-sectional survey followed by focus group interviews. Quantitative data were collected from 187 employees of the Manisa Water and Sewerage Administration (MASKI) via validated scales of workplace mobbing, workplace incivility and organizational silence, alongside items on perceived organizational support and help-seeking. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons and correlation analyses were conducted. Qualitative data were generated through focus group discussions (n = 12) with different occupational groups and managerial levels and analyzed via reflexive thematic analysis. Results Survey findings indicated that 41% of the participants perceived themselves as having been exposed to workplace bullying. Exposure primarily involves recurrent low-intensity acts, such as disrespectful communication, social exclusion, and unfair workload distribution. Women and employees with longer tenure reported significantly higher levels of exposure. Perceptions of organizational silence and fear of retaliation were positively associated with mistreatment. Qualitative analysis identified themes including the normalization of everyday incivility, ambivalent trust in formal complaint mechanisms (only 5% of victims initiated formal action), and reliance on informal coping strategies. Conclusions This study suggests that workplace mobbing at MASKI manifests mainly as diffuse, normalized patterns of incivility rather than overt, individualized persecution, however these experiences significantly undermine employees’ sense of psychological safety. Interventions should prioritize building credible, accessible support and reporting mechanisms, strengthening middle management accountability and promoting a culture that explicitly discourages everyday disrespect. More broadly, the findings demonstrate the value of mixed methods approaches for capturing the complex interplay between formal policies, informal norms and employees’ subjective experiences of mobbing in local government settings.