Signs and Effects of Workplace Bullying

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSignsEffectsCopingWhat Employers Can DoSummaryFrequently Asked Questions

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Table of Contents

Signs

Effects

Coping

What Employers Can Do

Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

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Workplace bullying is persistent mistreatment that occurs in the workplace. It can include behaviors such as verbal criticism, personal attacks, humiliation, belittling, and exclusion.It’s important to note that anyone can be a bully or be bullied, regardless of the role they have in the workplace.

Workplace bullying hurts the health and well-being of employees. It can also damage workplace productivity and performance. “Bullying’s pernicious nature creates long-lasting scars that have an effect on the victim’s sense of self-worth, self-assurance, and general mental health,” saysAzizi Marshall, LCPC, a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of the Mental Health at Work Summit and Center for Creative Arts Therapy.

This article discusses some of the signs and effects of workplace bullying. It also covers its impact on the workplace and what people can do to help prevent this type of behavior.

Signs of Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying is not always overt or openly hostile. It can also take more subtle forms, includinggaslighting, where the bully engages in abusive behaviors but then denies the abuse. The goal of gaslighting is to make the victim of bullying doubt their reality and experiences.

Subtle workplace bullying can hide in plain sight, but recognizing its more subtle signs can empower individuals to reclaim their worth.—AZIZI MARSHALL, LCPC

Subtle workplace bullying can hide in plain sight, but recognizing its more subtle signs can empower individuals to reclaim their worth.

—AZIZI MARSHALL, LCPC

According to Marshall, some of these more subtle types of workplace bullying can include:

Effects of Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying can have a range of negative effects. Research on bullying in the workplace quantifies the personal consequences for the victim and the fiscal consequences that affect the company’s bottom line.

Health Risks

The effects of workplace bullying don’t end when you leave the office. Experiencing bullying can cause physical and psychological health problems, including high blood pressure, mood changes, panic attacks,stress, and ulcers.

People who are bullied at work may also experience physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and changes in appetite. Bullying can impact sleep quality and duration as well.

Researchers have found that the coworkers of those who are bullied also experience negative effects, even when they themselves are not bullied. One study showed that victims of bullying and those who witness it are more likely to receive a prescription for psychotropic medications such as antidepressants, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills.

RecapBullying in the workplace can increase the risk of negative physical health effects and lead to decreased mental well-being for both the victims of bullying and their co-workers.

Recap

Bullying in the workplace can increase the risk of negative physical health effects and lead to decreased mental well-being for both the victims of bullying and their co-workers.

Effect on Job Performance

Bullied workers cannot perform their jobs to the best of their ability. Performance issues include:

Bullied workers not only lose motivation, they lose time because they are preoccupied with:

Targets of bullyingfeel a sense of isolation.Workplace bullying can leave the victim so traumatized that they feel powerless, disoriented, confused and helpless.

Changes in the Workplace

Workplace bullying has detrimental effects on employers, not just the victim and their co-workers who witness it. In addition to disrupting the work environment and impacting worker morale, it can also:

Other effects on the employer include:

Coping With Bullying in the Workplace

“To effectively respond to workplace bullying, it’s important to adopt an assertive and direct approach. Confronting the issue head-on and establishing clear consequences for unacceptable behavior is a must,” explainsAvigail Lev, PsyD, founder and director of the Bay Area CBT Center.

If you are being bullied at work, there are strategies that you can use to cope. Being proactive may help you feel better.

Set Boundaries

When a bully engages in abusive behavior, tell them what they have done and that it is unacceptable. Let them know that their behavior will not be tolerated and that if it occurs again, you will take action.Setting boundarieslets others know what type of behavior you are willing to accept.

Marshall says that setting these boundaries to establish what is acceptable and improper can help you defend your rights and protect against future abuse.

Confront the Behavior

Once you establish a boundary, following through with the consequences is essential. Marshall suggests always remaining professional, avoiding retaliation, and utilizing “I” statements to assertively voice your concerns and address the specific behaviors that upset you.

If the abuse continues, call out the behavior the next time it happens. Ask them to leave until they can behave in a professional, work-appropriate manner.

Therapist-Recommended Strategies

Other strategies that Lev recommends to cope with workplace bullying include:

Keep Track of the Abuse

Whenever you feel that you have been bullied at work, document the details including the time and exactly what happened. Write down any witnesses who were present and save any documents or records that can corroborate the abuse.

Talk to Management or Human Resources

If you’ve tried resolving the bullying on your own without success, it is time to involve your employer. Check with your workplace employee handbook to learn more about what steps you will need to take to file a complaint.

Marshall notes, however, that not all companies are great at addressing bullying. In such instances, it may be helpful to get outside assistance from legal counsel or an employee assistance program.

Care for Yourself

In addition to taking decisive action to protect yourself from bullying, it is also important to take steps to care for yourself. Seek outsocial support, practicerelaxation strategiesfor stress, and consider talking to a mental health professional if you are experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, or distress.

What Can Employers Do?

It’s always in your best interest to confront workplace bullying and maintain a bullying-free workplace because prevention is more cost-effective than intervention or mediation. It’s also the right thing to do if you care about your employees.

Employers must offer education opportunities for managers, supervisors, and other authority figures, because the majority of workplace bullying comes from bosses.Strive to create a workplace environment that cultivates teamwork, cooperation, and positive interaction instead.

RecapEmployers should also take steps to reduce bullying in the workplace. Educate employees and managers about bullying and outline steps that workers can take if they are experiencing abuse in the workplace.

Employers should also take steps to reduce bullying in the workplace. Educate employees and managers about bullying and outline steps that workers can take if they are experiencing abuse in the workplace.

Workplace bullying can be openly hostile at times, but it can also take more subtle forms. In either case, it can take a serious toll on employee well-being and productivity. It is important to be able to recognize the signs of workplace bullying so that you can take action to protect yourself. Organizations can also take steps to reduce bullying, including helping employees learn how to respond when they witness someone being bullied at work.

How to Confront a Workplace Bully

Calling out the behavior and making it clear that it will not be tolerated are important actions, but it is also critical to care for yourself outside of the workplace. Talk to friends and loved ones, spend time doing things you enjoy, and look for ways to help relax. Talking to a therapist can also be helpful.

Check your employee handbook to see if it describes steps you should take to report bullying. This may involve talking to your manager or reporting the behavior to human resources (HR) so they can investigate. If your manager is the one engaging in bullying, you might need to report the behavior to HR or to someone who is a position higher up the chain of command.

Workplace bullying can involve a range of damaging actions that can involve verbal, nonverbal, psychological, or physical abuse. Examples can include threats, humiliation, excessive monitoring, unjustified criticism, intentionally lying about work duties, and intimidation.

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wu M, He Q, Imran M, Fu J.Workplace bullying, anxiety, and job performance: choosing between “passive resistance” or “swallowing the insult”?.Front Psychol. 2020;10:2953. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02953Workplace Bullying Institute.2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey.Nielsen MB, Magerøy N, Gjerstad J, Einarsen S.Workplace bullying and subsequent health problems.Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2014;134(12-13):1233-1238. doi:10.4045/tidsskr.13.0880Glambek M, Skogstad A, Einarsen S.Take it or leave: a five-year prospective study of workplace bullying and indicators of expulsion in working life.Ind Health. 2015;53(2):160–170. doi:10.2486/indhealth.2014-0195Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.Bullying in the workplace.Lallukka T, Haukka J, Partonen T, Rahkonen O, Lahelma E.Workplace bullying and subsequent psychotropic medication: a cohort study with register linkages.BMJ Open. 2012;2(6). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001660Robert F.Impact of workplace bullying on job performance and job stress.J Manag Info. 2018;5(3):12-15. doi:10.31580/jmi.v5i3.123Einarsen S, Skogstad A, Rørvik E, Lande ÅB, Nielsen MB.Climate for conflict management, exposure to workplace bullying and work engagement: a moderated mediation analysis.Int J Hum Resour Manag. 2016;29(3):549-570. doi:10.1080/09585192.2016.1164216

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wu M, He Q, Imran M, Fu J.Workplace bullying, anxiety, and job performance: choosing between “passive resistance” or “swallowing the insult”?.Front Psychol. 2020;10:2953. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02953Workplace Bullying Institute.2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey.Nielsen MB, Magerøy N, Gjerstad J, Einarsen S.Workplace bullying and subsequent health problems.Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2014;134(12-13):1233-1238. doi:10.4045/tidsskr.13.0880Glambek M, Skogstad A, Einarsen S.Take it or leave: a five-year prospective study of workplace bullying and indicators of expulsion in working life.Ind Health. 2015;53(2):160–170. doi:10.2486/indhealth.2014-0195Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.Bullying in the workplace.Lallukka T, Haukka J, Partonen T, Rahkonen O, Lahelma E.Workplace bullying and subsequent psychotropic medication: a cohort study with register linkages.BMJ Open. 2012;2(6). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001660Robert F.Impact of workplace bullying on job performance and job stress.J Manag Info. 2018;5(3):12-15. doi:10.31580/jmi.v5i3.123Einarsen S, Skogstad A, Rørvik E, Lande ÅB, Nielsen MB.Climate for conflict management, exposure to workplace bullying and work engagement: a moderated mediation analysis.Int J Hum Resour Manag. 2016;29(3):549-570. doi:10.1080/09585192.2016.1164216

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Wu M, He Q, Imran M, Fu J.Workplace bullying, anxiety, and job performance: choosing between “passive resistance” or “swallowing the insult”?.Front Psychol. 2020;10:2953. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02953Workplace Bullying Institute.2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey.Nielsen MB, Magerøy N, Gjerstad J, Einarsen S.Workplace bullying and subsequent health problems.Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2014;134(12-13):1233-1238. doi:10.4045/tidsskr.13.0880Glambek M, Skogstad A, Einarsen S.Take it or leave: a five-year prospective study of workplace bullying and indicators of expulsion in working life.Ind Health. 2015;53(2):160–170. doi:10.2486/indhealth.2014-0195Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.Bullying in the workplace.Lallukka T, Haukka J, Partonen T, Rahkonen O, Lahelma E.Workplace bullying and subsequent psychotropic medication: a cohort study with register linkages.BMJ Open. 2012;2(6). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001660Robert F.Impact of workplace bullying on job performance and job stress.J Manag Info. 2018;5(3):12-15. doi:10.31580/jmi.v5i3.123Einarsen S, Skogstad A, Rørvik E, Lande ÅB, Nielsen MB.Climate for conflict management, exposure to workplace bullying and work engagement: a moderated mediation analysis.Int J Hum Resour Manag. 2016;29(3):549-570. doi:10.1080/09585192.2016.1164216

Wu M, He Q, Imran M, Fu J.Workplace bullying, anxiety, and job performance: choosing between “passive resistance” or “swallowing the insult”?.Front Psychol. 2020;10:2953. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02953

Workplace Bullying Institute.2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey.

Nielsen MB, Magerøy N, Gjerstad J, Einarsen S.Workplace bullying and subsequent health problems.Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2014;134(12-13):1233-1238. doi:10.4045/tidsskr.13.0880

Glambek M, Skogstad A, Einarsen S.Take it or leave: a five-year prospective study of workplace bullying and indicators of expulsion in working life.Ind Health. 2015;53(2):160–170. doi:10.2486/indhealth.2014-0195

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.Bullying in the workplace.

Lallukka T, Haukka J, Partonen T, Rahkonen O, Lahelma E.Workplace bullying and subsequent psychotropic medication: a cohort study with register linkages.BMJ Open. 2012;2(6). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001660

Robert F.Impact of workplace bullying on job performance and job stress.J Manag Info. 2018;5(3):12-15. doi:10.31580/jmi.v5i3.123

Einarsen S, Skogstad A, Rørvik E, Lande ÅB, Nielsen MB.Climate for conflict management, exposure to workplace bullying and work engagement: a moderated mediation analysis.Int J Hum Resour Manag. 2016;29(3):549-570. doi:10.1080/09585192.2016.1164216

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