Examples of Bullying Behavior
Remember: A single act does not constitute abusive conduct, unless especially severe and egregious.
Language or behavior that frightens, humiliates, belittles or degrades the recipient or target may be part of a pattern of workplace bullying. For example:
- Persistent or egregious use of abusive, insulting, or offensive language
- Aggressive yelling or shouting
- Unwarranted physical contact or threatening gestures
- Making repeated negative comments about a person’s appearance, lifestyle, family, or culture
- Regularly inappropriately teasing or making someone the brunt of pranks or practical jokes
- Circulating inappropriate or embarrassing photos or videos via email or social media
Behavior that undermines a person’s work performance, working relationships, or perceived value in the workplace may also be part of a pattern of bullying. For example:
- Unnecessarily interrupting or disrupting someone’s work; inappropriately interfering with a person’s personal property or work equipment
- Repeatedly discounting a person’s statements in group meetings; unfavorably comparing one person to others
- Blaming a person for problems they did not cause
- Taking credit for another’s contributions
- Spreading misinformation or malicious rumors
- Purposefully inappropriately excluding, isolating, or marginalizing a person from normal work activities
When the bully is a supervisor, the pattern may also include:
- Assigning tasks that are beyond a person’s skill level
- Establishing unrealistic timelines, or frequently changing deadlines
- Denying access to information, consultation, or resources
- Excessively monitoring an employee’s work
- Giving feedback in an insincere or disrespectful manner
- Repeatedly reminding someone of past errors or mistakes
- Inconsistently following or enforcing rules, to the detriment of an employee
- Ignoring an employee, or isolating them from others
- Denying equal access to earned time off