When queen bees attack women stop advancing: recognising and addressing female bullying in the workplace

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to look at the implications of the “Queen Bee” syndrome in the workplace: its impact on women at work and the perception of women at work.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on the author’s practical experience, observations, and studies.

Findings

The Queen Bee syndrome can have a negative impact on organizational performance and bottom-line results as well as individuals.

Research limitations/implications

The author calls for more work to done in this area to raise awareness and provide solutions.

Practical implications

This paper offers insight to help managers and organizations assess how much the Queen Bee syndrome may be at work in their own organization. It also invites women to self-reflect on their own behaviors.

Originality/value

This paper highlights an issue that can be ignored in organizations – how negative woman-to-woman behavior and/or bullying can be detrimental to individual and organizational performance.

Citation

Harvey, C. (2018), "When queen bees attack women stop advancing: recognising and addressing female bullying in the workplace", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-04-2018-0048