Adult to adult bullying in voluntary organizations: A scoping review

Approximately 15% of workers experience workplace bullying, yet nonprofit and voluntary organizations have received limited research attention. This scoping review examined bullying prevalence and the structural and contextual factors that enable it in these sectors. Researchers reviewed 18 full-text articles from an initial capture of 671 papers. The findings reveal that bullying occurs at comparable or elevated rates in nonprofits compared to other sectors, with sexual harassment being particularly problematic in fundraising contexts. The analysis identified four interconnected themes: complex and unique power relations, the exploitation of virtuosity, the exercise of hegemonic power, and asymmetrical power and extreme dependency, which collectively sustain bullying within these organizations. The authors conclude that disrupting these power dynamics is essential for effective intervention. They recommend further investigation into how volunteers navigate conflicts between organizational mission and actual behavior, evaluation of intervention effectiveness, and consideration of regulating philanthropic donations to reduce donor-driven dependency.