Workplace Bullying Definition & Overview
The definition of workplace bullying is any constant and repeated harassment or offensive actions toward another employee. Bullying goes beyond simple disagreements between coworkers; it is damaging behavior through intimidation, humiliation, or exclusion. This negative environment not only affects individual well-being but also undermines team dynamics and productivity.
Unlike traditional forms of harassment, workplace bullying often exists in subtler forms, including the following:
- Office politics
- Competitiveness
- Exclusion from meetings
- Persistent criticism
- Backhanded compliments
- Belittling remarks
- Misuse of managerial power
- Work sabotage
- Withholding information
- Spreading rumors
- Singling out individuals
Workplace Bullying vs Harassment
Although bullying can fall under harassment, it is slightly different, especially in the eyes of the law. Bullies don’t typically discriminate against people in a protected class on purpose. Instead, they tend to bully people at random. Additionally, harassment is against the law, and bullying is not yet legally protected.
Some things bullying and harassment have in common are as follows:
- Both are about power and control
- There is usually an imbalance in power between the two parties
- Both occur without remorse from the perpetrator
Below are some key differences between bullying and harassment.
| Bullying | Harassment |
|---|---|
| Has a strong verbal component, like inappropriate comments or intimidation. | Can have a strong physical component, like touch, contact, and intrusion into personal space. |
| Rooted more in jealousy or general dislike for someone. | Focuses on the individual because of specific characteristics (sex, race, disability). |
| Perceives the target as a threat. | Perceives the target as an easy challenge. |
| Is a repeated action against the victim. | Can be a one-time offense or repetitive. |
Types of Workplace Bullying
Bullying can take on many forms, from gossiping to offensive jokes. To understand the most common types of workplace bullying, expand each section below.
Cyberbullying occurs when an employee harasses a coworker online. This could be through personal social media platforms, team messaging software, or the company intranet. This type of harassment may include the following:
- Insulting comments
- Aggressive messages
- Posting inappropriate pictures
- Threatening to reveal personal information
- Email harassment
- Creating fake profiles on social media
- Sharing inappropriate content
- Stalking
Exclusion is the act of intentionally (or unintentionally) leaving a coworker out of conversations, meetings, decision-making processes, and even social events. For example, an employee invites everyone on a team to lunch but excludes one person on the team. That team member may then feel like they weren’t invited on purpose, which results in a morale dip.
Purposely withholding important project or company information from another employee to make them appear that they cannot perform their job is a form of bullying. While it is a subtle type of bullying, it can make the affected person feel alienated and could affect their career trajectory.
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation where a coworker deliberately makes another worker doubt their perceptions and memories of situations and conversations. The aim is to twist the reality of the events that occurred to control and undermine the victim while blaming them for things that were beyond their control.
Gossiping is the retelling of information or the creation of false information told behind another person’s back. It’s inevitable that personal information about employees will make its way to others’ ears. However, when someone thrives on hearing and retelling gossip, this can be a form of bullying.
Spreading rumors falls under the umbrella of gossiping with the intent to harm a coworker’s reputation or get them fired. Although sometimes founded in truth, rumors are false accusations about another person.
Remote and distributed teams are especially susceptible to rumors because employees may form opinions based on what they think about an employee they have never met in person. If you learn about rumors, I recommend calling an all-hands meeting or sending a message through a chat system, like Slack, to remind employees of your anti-bullying policy.
Insults are verbal attacks towards another person, such as name-calling, snide remarks, mocking, put-downs, or belittling comments.
Some examples include the following:
- “That’s a really dumb idea.”
- “Are you lazy? You never get your work in on time.”
- “You’re not very good at your job.”
- “You are a great example of what not to do.”
Intimidating behavior is typically verbal or physical threats done to manipulate another person to gain professional benefit. It can take on other types of bullying, such as insults and physical abuse.
Some common intimidating behaviors include the following:
- Posturing (pretending to inflict physical harm)
- Yelling
- Threats
- Sabotaging work
- Taking credit for others’ work
- Ridiculing
Invasion of privacy occurs when another employee (whether a coworker or manager) observes or interferes with an individual’s personal space.
Invasion of privacy could include the following:
- Looking over someone’s shoulder while they work
- Unreasonable searches of personal property
- Surveillance (such as in bathrooms or common areas)
- Questioning of an employee’s private life
- Disclosing private information about another person
- Using someone’s name or image without their permission
Offensive jokes are usually mean and told within earshot of their victim to hurt the individual and create laughter at their expense. This type of bullying can harm the work culture and lower an employee’s spirit. The first rule as a manager or coworker is to not laugh when you hear a joke told at another’s expense. The second rule is to report the bullying to HR.
Once thought of as just “water-cooler talk,” offensive jokes can be a form of harassment. Depending on the type of joke (such as those that are sexual in nature or about someone’s race), it may violate harassment laws and could lead to your company being sued.
Passive-aggressive behavior is when someone expresses negative feelings towards another person in an indirect or hostile way, instead of openly addressing the issues. This behavior can create a toxic workplace for the individual affected.
Some examples of passive-aggressive behavior include the following:
- Sarcasm
- Blaming
- Giving the silent treatment
- Backhanded compliments
- Gossip
- Rejecting viewpoints
- Ignoring emails or requests
- Indirect communication
- Inconsistent behavior
For more information on identifying toxic employees and how to deal with them, check out our guide.
Physical abuse in the workplace is any act of physical violence towards another person, such as when someone violently touches, slaps, pushes, shoves, or restrains another person. It can also mean extreme cases of withholding essential needs, such as food or water. This type of bullying behavior creeps into misconduct and could be a fireable offense.
Federal and State Bullying at Work Laws
There are no federal workplace bullying laws. However, employees could sue your company for creating and allowing a hostile work environment. Additionally, since there are cases where bullying can cross into harassment based on protected status, there are a few other federal antidiscrimination laws to consider.
Federal Laws
| Law/Regulations | |
|---|---|
| Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) | Protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination, including any form of bullying. |
| Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) | Forbids discrimination against individuals who are 40 or older. |
| Genetic Information Non discrimination Act (GINA) | Protects individuals against discrimination based on their genetic information. This includes discrimination in the workplace and health coverage. |
| Title VII of the Civil Rights Act | Employees and job applicants are shielded from bullying as a form of harassment, provided that the harassment is based on national origin, sex, religion, or other protected classes. |
| Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) | Protects the job rights of service members and veterans. |
State Laws
There are no current state laws against bullying. However, the Healthy Workplace Bill aims to prevent and correct abuse in the workplace. It replaces the term “workplace bullying” with “abusive workplace conduct” and allows employees to sue for exposure to a harmful work environment.
The bill has been initiated in 32 states (as of the time of this writing). Click on your state below to learn more about the Healthy Workplace Bill in that state.
Healthy Workplace Bill
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Effects of Workplace Bullying
There are many emotional and psychological consequences of workplace bullying. Employees may have a sense of dread about going to work and may be unable to adequately perform their jobs. Additionally, it can be detrimental to your company culture and bottom line.
| Effects of Workplace Bullying | Effects on the Company |
|---|---|
| Stress and anxiety | Employee turnover |
| Depression and fatigue | Decreased team morale |
| Increased absenteeism | Toxic work environment |
| Lack of self-esteem | Potential lawsuits |
| Reduced productivity | Reduced company morale |
How to Recognize the Signs of Bullying in the Workplace
Not all employees will report workplace bullying. However, there are some signs that bullying could be happening. If you notice any of the below behaviors, it may be wise to have a conversation with the affected employee to see if there is anything happening to cause it.
- Changes in employee behavior
- Decline in work performance
- Withdrawal or isolation
- Aggressive behavior
- Confusion or frustration
- Removal of responsibility without a clear reason
- Projection of blame
- Controlling behavior
Effective
can help you recognize the signs of bullying. Additionally,
will show you gaps in your compliance, giving you direction and helping you focus on improving your processes.
How to Prevent Workplace Bullying
Creating a culture of respect in the workplace is essential for preventing bullying. To do this, I recommend implementing regular training sessions that focus not only on identifying bullying behavior but also on fostering empathy and active listening skills among employees.
It is also important to have an anti-bullying policy in place that outlines the types of unacceptable behavior that constitute bullying. Follow this up with thorough HR investigations and proper disciplinary action.
Read our guide to learn
how to conduct an HR investigation
and ensure that you’re following the correct approach.
Anti-bullying Policy
One of the best ways to prevent workplace bullying is to have a clear policy in place that outlines what the behavior is and the disciplinary actions to be taken as a result.
Your anti-bullying policy should include the following:
- Policy statement: Who the policy applies to (both employees and contractors) and that the company will not tolerate any form of bullying.
- Definition: Clearly define what workplace bullying is and express the company’s code of conduct.
- Examples: Include examples or types of workplace bullying and harassment (as they relate to bullying).
- Disciplinary action: Explain what will happen if someone is accused of bullying, such as an investigation, potential discipline, and ultimately termination.
You can create this policy yourself, or check out our guide to the best HR software that will create it for you. Either way, having a legal policy in place will ensure your employees fully understand what bullying is and the consequences for participating in such behavior.
Workplace Bullying Prevention in Practice
Kunal Madan, founder of Amarra, says creating a workplace culture that mitigates bullying has been a core undertaking. They implemented a zero-tolerance policy against harassment or bullying of any form. This includes explicit policy communication during onboarding and the adoption of an open-door policy for voicing concerns without fear of retaliation.
To raise awareness, they organize regular training workshops with experts discussing the nuances of bullying, its impact, and ways to address it. They have also created an easily accessible, anonymous channel for reporting instances of bullying, ensuring claims are taken seriously and investigations conducted promptly and impartially.
Investigation and Disciplinary Action
Beyond just telling your employees that you will not tolerate workplace bullying, you must follow through by investigating each incident and assigning appropriate disciplinary action.
During your investigation, consider the following:
- Treat every allegation seriously.
- Review your anti-bullying policy with the accused.
- Be fair and impartial and hear both sides of the story.
- Conduct interviews (if other employees were present during the bullying).
- Focus on the facts and not the emotions involved.
Once you’ve conducted a thorough investigation, it is time to decide on the right disciplinary action. This could be anything from a verbal warning to a written warning, change in department, employee suspension, or ultimately termination.
Workplace Bullying Training
A training program can help team members understand the impact of their words and actions. It should highlight inappropriate behavior in a way that engages employees and makes them want to learn.
Whether you create your own training program or source it out, a good workplace bullying training program should cover the following topics:
- Definition of workplace bullying
- Examples of bullying behavior
- Differences between bullying and harassment
- The negative impact of bullying
- Intervention strategies
The best employee training software should offer assessment tools to gauge employee understanding, support compliance, and offer interactive features that foster employee collaboration.
Workplace Bullying Prevention in Practice
Wethrift.com’s approach to preventing worker bullying starts with creating a culture of respect and transparency. To do this, it holds wellness workshops and webinars focusing on the importance of maintaining a healthy work environment.
Nick Drewe, founder and CEO of Wethrift.com, says its leaders are trained to recognize signs of bullying and address them promptly. This balanced combination of policies, training, leadership, and culture is the backbone to removing workplace bullying at their company.
Workplace Bullying Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Bullying in the workplace is any behavior or action that intimidates, offends, or humiliates another employee. It is unwarranted or invalid criticism or unjustified blame against another.
A hostile work environment is any workplace where employees are made to feel uncomfortable, harassed, or discriminated against. This type of environment creates an atmosphere of disrespect and can lead to low employee morale, reduced productivity, and increased absenteeism.
Having policies in place, investigating accusations, and following through with disciplinary actions can show employees that you will not tolerate bullying in the workplace. If bullying continues, then termination may be an appropriate action.
