Workplace bullying: How to identify and deal with it

Workplace bullying and adult bullying in general are big problems in the United States. According to a 2021 Workplace Bullying Institute Survey, 49% of Americans say that they’ve been impacted by bullying in the workplace. Workplace bullying describes a pattern of mistreatment within a work environment that includes behaviors such as personal attacks, exclusion and inappropriately harsh criticism. This type of bullying can have a lasting impact on a person’s health and well-being.

While some bullies have multiple targets, others harass a single person. Workplace bullying isn’t always obvious, so a bully’s behavior may go undetected if it’s not reported.

Just because this type of bullying often involves adults doesn’t mean people always know how to handle it. The psychological effects of bullying can be damaging and painful, regardless of age. Knowing the signs can help you recognize workplace bullying and understand how to respond. Talkspace offers resources to help employees recognize and address workplace bullying.

Identifying Workplace Bullying

Bullying in the workplace can take many forms and create a toxic work environment. While some bullies may be openly hostile toward their targets, others may behave in subtler ways. Harassment can describe a single instance of inappropriate behavior, while bullying involves persistent, repeated acts and aggression toward a victim.

Types of workplace bullying

• Intimidation: A bully can intimidate a target by threatening them, spying on them or socially excluding them.
• Verbal abuse: Verbal bullying can include harsh criticism, direct insults, mocking and offensive jokes, malicious gossip, verbal sexual harassment and humiliation.
• Work interference: Bullies may sabotage a coworker, blame them for mistakes or take credit for their work and ideas.
• Retaliation: Sometimes, reporting bullying can lead to increased workplace harassment, including heavier workloads, unfair scheduling, abusive conduct or even being denied a promotion.
• Institutional bullying: Some workplaces have policies or practices that harm workers, including forced overtime or singling out those who fail to meet goals.

Warning signs of workplace bullying

Ultimately, all types of bullying can share similar warning signs to some extent, but some are specific to the workplace. Knowing the signs can help if you suspect someone is being bullied at work. It can also help you identify if you’re dealing with a bully.

• Being ignored or excluded: The target of a workplace bully may be ignored by coworkers or excluded from events without an explanation.
• Close monitoring: Bullies may constantly monitor a target’s work, making it difficult for them to complete tasks or do their job efficiently.
• Unusual work assignments: Bullying behavior can include pointless work assignments or being given work without proper training. Failure to complete tasks may result in criticism, punishment or ridicule.
• Dismissing or minimizing concerns: When bullying is confronted or reported, the behavior may be downplayed by the workplace bully or other employees.
• Missing items: Personal or work-related items may go missing inexplicably.
• Public embarrassment: Bullies may berate, humiliate or mock targets in front of coworkers, upper management or customers.

Effects of Workplace Bullying on Health

Bullying in the workplace isn’t just uncomfortable and embarrassing. It can have a lasting impact on someone’s physical and emotional well-being. Research available through PubMed shows that workplace bullying can predict future mental health problems, including anxiety and depression.

Not only does bullying have lasting consequences for victims, but it can also be damaging to the workplace environment and culture — even after the bullying has stopped.

Physical effects

Bullying at work can increase stress and anxiety, which may lead to physical symptoms like:

• Elevated blood pressure
• Headaches
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and digestive issues
• Difficulty sleeping
• Ulcers
• Muscle aches
• Heartburn

Research available through PubMed has also linked the stress of bullying to increased risk for Type 2 diabetes. People who experience chronic stress are also more likely to develop heart disease. While bullying is sometimes treated as harmless, it can have a serious and lasting impact on a victim’s health.

Mental effects

Being the target of bullying can negatively affect mood and emotional well-being. Effects may include:

• A loss of self-esteem
• Losing interest in activities
• Depression and anxiety
• Constantly dreading work
• Difficulty trusting others
• Panic attacks
• Suicidal ideation

These effects tend to become more pronounced the longer the bullying continues, and they can persist even after the behavior has stopped. Some people who experience bullying may benefit from working with a mental health professional to overcome self-doubt and rebuild self-confidence.

How Workplace Bullying Affects the Work Environment

When an employer fails to respond to bullying appropriately and in a timely manner, it can have serious negative consequences, such as:

• Higher rate of employee absences.
• Increased turnover rates.
• A decline in productivity.
• Decreased morale.
• Lost the trust of employees.
• Legal action costs.

Effects on job performance

Bullying is a significant distraction that can interfere with a person’s ability to do their job. When someone’s being bullied, they may be less productive and spend their time:

• Trying to avoid the bully.
• Worrying about future abuse.
• Struggling with anxiety.
• Seeking support from co-workers.
• Attempting to defend themselves from the bully.

Ongoing harassment from a bully can be traumatizing, making it difficult for bullied workers to focus on their tasks. People who experience bullying at work are more likely to make mistakes and may take longer to complete their work, which can decrease the productivity of the entire team.

Effects on the workplace environment

Bullying can disrupt the entire workplace culture and negatively impact all workers, even those who aren’t being bullied. It creates a hostile work environment for everyone. Workplace bullying can:

• Increase employee turnover.
• Harm the company’s public image.
• Interfere with employee teamwork.
• Encourage poor behavior in employees.
• Lead to a hostile work environment.

How to Deal with Workplace Bullying

When people are targeted by bullies at work, they often feel helpless. If you’ve been the victim of workplace bullying, it’s important to remember that you’re not at fault. The right strategies and tools can help you cope with a bully’s behavior and protect your well-being.

• Document the bullying: Write down the details of the event every time you’re bullied at work. Be sure to include the time and date of the incident and the nature of what happened. Detail the names of workers who may have witnessed the bullying in your reports.
• Lay down boundaries: The next time a bully does something inappropriate, make it clear that you won’t tolerate this treatment any longer. Let them know that you’ll be reporting the behavior and that, if it continues, you’re ready and willing to escalate.
• Report bullying: Report any intimidating or inappropriate behavior to your employer if a bully fails to respect your boundaries. Provide the employer with documentation of the abuse and let them know that you expect the behavior to be addressed immediately.
• Seek outside support: It can be tough to stand up to a bully’s bad behavior, which is why a strong support system is crucial. Talk to friends, family members or mental health professionals about what you’re going through. In extreme cases, if you’re not seeing results or getting the support you need from your employer, you might need to seek legal counsel.

Helping Someone Deal with Workplace Bullying

It isn’t always easy to speak up when you see bullying in the workplace. You may be afraid that confronting a bully will make you a target, but it’s important to remember that ignoring bullying will only make the issue worse.

Don’t hesitate to report bullying to your employer, even if you weren’t directly impacted. If one of your coworkers is being repeatedly bullied, your report could significantly improve their life.

It’s common for bullies to gaslight targets by denying or diminishing their actions and behaviors. This makes some bullying victims hesitant to report abuse. When multiple people speak up about bullying, it’s much harder for bullies to deny, defend, or continue their bad behavior.

If you’re the victim of workplace bullying, knowing your rights and the resources available to you can be critical to determining the next steps needed to heal. Speaking with a therapist about your experience and your options, as well as the pros and cons of those options, may help you take the next right step for you.

The effects of workplace bullying aren’t just limited to victims. When there’s a bully in any environment, it harms everyone. That’s why it’s crucial for companies to establish policies to prevent bullying.

If you’re being bullied at work, it can be difficult to speak up. Don’t be afraid to take steps to protect your mental health and well-being. With a strong support system, you can recover from bullying and improve your work environment.

If you’re dealing with workplace bullying or a toxic environment and don’t have a strong support system, consider seeking help from a mental health professional. Therapy can help you develop a strategy.

Therapy can offer you guidance and support from experienced mental health professionals. Workplace bullying can be difficult to deal with, but you don’t have to face it alone. Learning how to navigate the hostility you’re facing can help you feel more prepared to deal with workplace bullying and protect your well-being.

This story was produced by Talkspace and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.