Employees reluctant to leave hostile environments

Every day, thousands of workers are insulted, ignored, and harassed. But according to a new study, many of them stick to their guns, finding small bits of happiness elsewhere in their jobs.

Researchers at Kansas State University found that among workers reporting hostility at work, 45 percent had no definite plans to leave their current job. Furthermore, 59 percent said they either liked or at least didn't dislike their job.

The researchers identified two types of hostile behaviors: exclusionary and interfering. Exclusionary hostility includes behaviors like reprimanding an employee in front of others or being excluded from coffee breaks. Interfering hostility included more direct behaviors, like gossiping about an employee or sabotaging his or her equipment.

The researchers presented the data-which was gathered well before the economic downturn-in April at the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology conference.