The ERI hypothesis states, that it is the combination of high effort and low reward (effort-reward imbalance) that increases the risk of poor health over the risks associated with each of the components alone (
van Vegchel et al., 2005). The experience of a lack of reciprocity creates negative feelings in an employee (
Siegrist, 1996). In the long run, this increases illness susceptibility as a result of continued strain reactions in the autonomic nervous system (
Siegrist, 2005).
In analogy with other stress models, we argue that ERI may also be a risk factor for bullying. Previous research highlights that work stressors may increase the risk of exposure to bullying through several different mechanisms. For example, inefficient coping with stress and frustration may lead employees to behave in ways that violate norms (
Baillien et al., 2009). This can include, for example, decreasing the level of work efforts, persistent complaining, and withdrawing from social interaction. Such behaviors may, in turn, elicit retaliatory action and victimization from colleagues and superiors, trying to reign in or punish the norm-breaking employee (
Neuman and Baron, 2003). Also, stress resulting from effort-reward-imbalance may, as discussed above, result in mental health problems (
Bonde, 2008), which again have been shown to increase the risk of being subject to subsequent exposure to bullying (
Nielsen et al., 2012).