Interview transcripts: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Workplace Cyberbullying Among Young, Non-Managerial Female Professionals in China: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

<p dir="ltr">This study investigates the lived experiences of workplace cyberbullying among young, non-managerial female professionals in China. Digital communication is routine at work, yet very little is known about how cyberbullying operates in settings with strong hierarchies and gendered expectations. Evidence to date is largely Western-focused and relies on decontextualised models that might not apply to China's platform ecology and workplace hierarchies. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine participants who self-identified as targets of workplace cyberbullying. Five connected themes describe cyberbullying as a routine condition of digitally mediated work. First, a toxic digital work environment: WeChat groups and direct messages were used to spread rumours, question competence, and stage public criticism, including demands for emotional performances such as "flattering superiors." Second, cultural normalisation of hierarchical cyber-control: constant surveillance, weekend and latenight instructions, and "dad-flavour" paternalism were widely treated as ordinary requirements of being a "good" subordinate; obedience was seen to matter more than performance. Overwork was similarly normalised. Third, invasion of personal boundaries: personal accounts were routinely used for work, extending demands into evenings, weekends, and holidays. Mandatory corporate visibility on personal social media (required posting, fines for non-compliance, and screenshot proofs) further collapsed boundaries and repurposed private networks for unpaid corporate promotion. Fourth, enduring in silence: uncertainty about what "counts" as workplace cyberbullying, fear of career costs, and low trust in organisational responses discouraged reporting. Fifth, coping and preferred organisational supports: participants described emotion-focused and avoidance strategies and called for clear policies, separate work channels, and credible, confidential procedures. <br>The supplementary file contains the full thematic analysis for all interviews.</p>