READINESS OF LITHUANIAN CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO PERSONS SUFFERING FROM MOBBING: IS THE POTENTIAL EXPLOITED?

Abstract

Research conducted in different parts of the world shows that mobbing is a relevant organizational and social problem, which can be also addressed by religious organizations. Inspirations of Christian values, combined with organisational management, become the outcome of potentially significant decisions. However, the analysis of scientific publications using keywords “religious organizations”, “Christian organizations”, “Christianity”, “mobbing”, “assistance”, “values”, “value congruence” shows that there is a lack of such type of research both in Lithuania and abroad, which underpins the novelty, originality and demand for the research not only in Lithuania’s but also in the international context. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate the potential exploited by Lithuanian Christian organizations, providing assistance to persons suffering from mobbing. To achieve this aim, three objectives were formulated: (1) to analyze religious organizations’ possibilities to recognize workplace mobbing; (2) to discuss the circumstances determining value
congruence/incongruity in religious organizations; (3) to identify strengths and weaknesses of organizations, which can help or hinder assistance provision to the victims of mobbing. The study involved 9 persons working in Christian organizations. The survey was conducted using the semistructured interview method. The research results demonstrate that religious organizations perform spiritual assistance, counselling, and charitable activities but lack knowledge of the phenomenon of workplace mobbing and the possibilities of helping the victims. Poor efforts of the religious organizations in staff training, narrow activity specialisations and value incongruity not only limit the possibilities to help the victims of mobbing but also reduce the initiative of employees themselves.