What is Workplace Bullying & Harrasement?

Workplace bullying and harassment refer to repeated, inappropriate behavior directed at an employee or a group of employees that creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work environment.

These behaviors can be verbal, physical, psychological, or even digital, and they can significantly impact a person’s mental and emotional well-being.

Common Symptoms & Experience

Common Symptoms

A healthy work environment should foster respect, collaboration, and professional growth. However, when bullying and harassment occur, they create a toxic atmosphere that can severely impact an employee’s mental and physical well-being.

Here are three common signs that indicate an unhealthy work environment and the potential impact on those affected.

Emotional Distress & Anxiety

Victims of workplace bullying and harassment often experience heightened stress, anxiety, or even depression. They may feel constantly on edge, dread going to work, or suffer from emotional exhaustion due to ongoing mistreatment.

Decreased Confidence & Self-Esteem

Continuous criticism, humiliation, or exclusion can erode an employee's self-confidence. They may start doubting their abilities, feeling incompetent, or fearing that they are always making mistakes.

Physical Health Issues

The psychological toll of workplace harassment can manifest in physical symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, fatigue, or digestive issues. Chronic stress from bullying can also weaken the immune system, leading to frequent illnesses.

Experiences

Workplace bullying and harassment can take many forms, from subtle exclusion to outright intimidation. These negative experiences create a toxic work environment, impacting mental health, job satisfaction, and overall well-being. Here are three common experiences employees may face.

Persistent Undermining and Exclusion

Employees experiencing workplace bullying often find themselves deliberately left out of important meetings, projects, or decision-making processes. Their ideas may be dismissed, and their contributions minimized, making them feel isolated and undervalued.

Verbal Abuse and Intimidation

Workplace harassment can involve direct insults, threats, or belittling comments. Affected individuals may face constant criticism, excessive blame, or demeaning language, creating a hostile work environment that affects their confidence and mental well-being.

Unfair Workload and Unreasonable Expectations

Bullying can take the form of assigning excessive workloads, setting unrealistic deadlines, or withholding necessary resources. This tactic is often used to set an employee up for failure, leading to stress, burnout, and feelings of helplessness.

How Psychological Therapy Can Help You

Psychological therapy can be a powerful tool in helping individuals cope with workplace bullying and harassment. Here are three key ways it can provide support:

Building Emotional Resilience

Therapy helps individuals develop coping strategies to manage stress, anxiety, and self-doubt caused by workplace mistreatment. It equips them with tools to maintain confidence and emotional stability.

Workplace harassment can leave lasting emotional scars. Therapy provides a safe space to process these experiences, challenge negative beliefs, and rebuild self-worth.

Processing Trauma and Restoring Self-Esteem

Developing Assertiveness and Boundaries

Therapy can help individuals learn effective communication skills and assertiveness techniques, empowering them to set boundaries, address workplace issues constructively, and regain control over their professional environment.