How to Combat the Rise in Workplace Abuse

BY: Dylan kretchmar

Over the past decade, workplaces have undergone a rapid and significant transformation driven by factors such as technological advancements, shifting economic landscapes, global crises, and evolving employee values. However, alongside these changes, recent research has identified a troubling trend in reported Workplace Abuses and toxicity.

One study published in BMC Psychology found that this workplace evolution has been accompanied by an increase in reported incidents of abuse, highlighting how the modern work environment has become increasingly hostile for many employees. In it, they cite a report done by the International Labour Organization, which said that 23% of workers worldwide have experienced some form of Physical, Psychological, and/or Sexual Abuse on the job (Amoadu et al., 2024).

This means that Workplace Abuse is much more prevalent within our places of work, which makes it more critical than ever to know how to combat this abuse. Similarly, the 2024 Work in America Survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that 15% of respondents labeled their workplaces as somewhat or highly toxic. Meanwhile, 24% of workers living with a disability reported experiencing a toxic work environment. Additionally, the survey revealed that 2 in 5 workers believed that disclosing their mental health conditions to their employer would negatively impact them in the workplace (Sleek, 2024). 

It can be challenging to understand what constitutes Workplace Abuse, or what to do if you or others are in an abusive situation. We will examine the systemic and organizational factors that contribute to or help prevent abusive work environments, offering practical guidance for both employees seeking to protect themselves and employers aiming to foster supportive and respectful workplaces. By raising awareness and taking proactive steps, both employers and employees can work together to build work cultures built on safety, respect, and equity.

What is Workplace Abuse & What are its Impacts?

Workplace Abuse refers to any form of serious (or consistent) harmful, abusive, or discriminatory behavior that occurs in a work environment. Perpetrators of Workplace Abuse can be supervisors, clients, managers, or employees, and such abuse can occur both in the public and private sectors (National Whistleblower Center, 2017). Anyone can be a Victim of Workplace Abuse, and what constitutes Workplace Abuse can be as broad as the effects this abuse has on the survivor’s mental health.

There are many consequences of Workplace Abuse. Victims of Workplace Abuse often experience poor mental health, reduced job performance, and job dissatisfaction (Amoadu et al., 2024). According to former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD, chronic stress resulting from Workplace Abuse can also lead to serious physical health issues, including heart disease, cancer, and other chronic illnesses (Sleek, 2024). Therefore, it is essential to monitor physical health just as much as mental health when it comes to healing from this kind of abuse. For organizations, a toxic work environment can lead to low productivity, high absenteeism, and elevated turnover rates, and ultimately impact their long-term success and sustainability (Sleek, 2024). This makes reporting and resolving Workplace Abuse important not just for the Victims but for the company as a whole. Everyone suffers when abuse occurs in the workplace.

What Does Workplace Abuse Look Like?

Workplace Abuse can take many forms, including harassment based on sex, race, religion, or disability; discrimination; bullying and intimidation; and Verbal or Physical Abuse. Workplace Abuse includes, but is not limited to: instances of bullying, harassment, violence, abuse, discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, and unreasonable workloads (Amoadu et al., 2024; National Whistleblower Center, 2017).

Sexual and Religious Harassment

Sexual harassment refers to any behavior that demeans, excludes, or targets another person based on their gender or sexual orientation. In the workplace, this can look like unwanted sexual advances or physical contact, requests for sexual favors or quid-pro-quo arrangements, unsolicited comments about someone’s body or clothes, the use of slurs or other derogatory language, online stalking, or other verbal and physical actions of a sexual nature (National Whistleblower Center, 2017).  If you or someone you know is experiencing any form of Sexual Harassment, please reach out to other coworkers or even supervisors for support and aid in stopping this harassment.

Religious harassment occurs when an employee is mistreated due to their religion or religious beliefs. Mistreatment can include making employment decisions – such as hiring, promoting, or providing benefits – based on religion, offensive or unwelcome comments, questions, or jokes about religious practices, forced participation in religious activities, denial of reasonable accommodations protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, or dress codes that do not allow for religious expression (National Whistleblower Center, 2017).

Racial Discrimination 

Discrimination is defined as unwelcome and derogatory actions or remarks based on an employee’s race, color, religion, orientation, gender, nationality, or known disability. In the workplace, this can look like offensive jokes, slurs, bullying, threats of violence or demotion, preferential or unfavorable treatment, or a lack of reasonable accommodations. This can also include making hiring or promotion choices based on a person’s characteristics (National Whistleblower Center, 2017). 

Verbal and Physical Abuse

Verbal and Physical Abuse in the workplace refers to any harmful, threatening, or derogatory language, as well as physical or non-verbal actions intended to cause fear, harm, or intimidation. These abuses include workplace bullying and intimidation, which involve unwarranted behaviors that make an employee feel unsafe or humiliated, as any harmful threats or actions taken by an employee or another employee against a whistleblower or someone reporting Workplace Abuse. In the workplace, this looks like demeaning comments, slurs, threats of personal or property harm, name-calling, aggressive tones or body language, raised volumes, public humiliation, possession of a weapon, and acts of physical violence (National Whistleblower Center, 2017). 

What Laws are in Place to Protect Against Workplace Abuse?

Over the past few decades, numerous federal and state laws in the United States have been enacted to prohibit discriminatory harassment and abuse in the workplace, increasing workers’ safety and preventing retaliation for reporting hazards. Below is a summary of key laws and protections:

First Amendment 

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution primarily protects free speech, including the right of public employees to speak out on matters of unlawful discrimination, abuse, and public concern. However, it does not apply to the private sector or public employees who wish to express personal grievances (National Whistleblower Center, 2017). 

Titles VII and IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

These titles prohibit employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and protect individuals who participate in anti-discrimination or anti-retaliation proceedings. These protections are supported by related legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act (National Whistleblower Center, 2017). 

Civil Rights Act of 1971

This law protects state and local government employees who report Workplace Abuses and concerns. It enables individuals to file federal lawsuits for compensatory and punitive damages. It protects against employer retaliation for whistleblowing or testifying as a witness (National Whistleblower Center, 2017).

OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program 

This program enforces over 20 federal laws that prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who report violations of workplace safety, health, and other concerns (National Whistleblower Center, 2017). 

California’s Labor Code, Section 1102.5

One of the strongest whistleblower protection laws in the U.S., this code allows California employees to seek reinstatement, recover lost wages, and pursue additional remedies if they face retaliation for reporting misconduct. In contrast, states like Georgia and Montana offer minimal protections for whistleblowers, while Alabama offers virtually none (National Whistleblower Center, 2017).

Fair Labor Standards Act / Equal Pay Act

This act establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, child labor, and record-keeping standards for both private and public employment. The Equal Pay Act explicitly prohibits wage discrimination based on sex for employees performing similar roles (National Whistleblower Center, 2017). 

Migrant and Seasonal Agriculture Workers Protection Act

This federal law protects migrant and seasonal agricultural workers from employer retaliation when they report abuse, unsafe conditions, or violations of labor rights (National Whistleblower Center, 2017).

How a High Psychosocial Safety Climate Mitigates Workplace Abuse

Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC) is a term used by psychologists to describe the shared belief among employees that their psychological health and physical safety are protected and supported by their workplaces’ policies, practices, and procedures. This includes an employee’s belief that they can express their ideas, concerns, or mistakes to management without fear of retaliation (Amoadu et al., 2024).
 

A 2024 systematic review titled “Preventing Workplace Mistreatment and Improving Workers’ Mental Health” examined how PSC manifests and intersects with instances of Workplace Abuse across recent literature. They found that a high PSC creates a favorable work environment that actively mitigates workplace bullying, and that, conversely, workplace violence and abuse were significantly more common in workplaces with a low PSC (Amoadu et al., 2024). The researchers found that a high PSC serves as a strong deterrent to workplace mistreatment because it fosters a work culture of fairness, open communication, awareness, and mutual respect. In these environments, supervisors serve as positive role models and offer emotional validation, enabling employees to feel more supported and confident in expressing their thoughts and needs. This not only reduces stress and enhances overall well-being but also strengthens employees’ sense of belonging within the organization. A high PSC also encourages bottom-up communication and proactive intervention in cases of mistreatment by both supervisors and employees, resulting in a work culture where bullying, harassment, and other forms of abuse are less tolerated and therefore occur less frequently.

Additionally, supervisors receive training in respectful workplace behavior, and employees are better equipped to access resources, assert themselves, and manage the emotional demands of their roles (Amoadu et al., 2024). Having a high PSC is ideal for everyone involved. However, it can be scary for someone to take the first steps of addressing Workplace Abuse.

Ways to Address Workplace Abuse

There are several substantial steps organizations, supervisors, and employees can take to prevent and address Workplace Abuse. These actions not only reduce workplace harm but also help foster a healthier, more inclusive, and productive work environment. The first is to cultivate supportive leadership. Supportive leadership involves cultivating a leadership style characterized by empathy, approachability, and open communication. To achieve this, managers and supervisors can undergo workplace leadership training that includes positive communication, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, abuse awareness, and modeling positive workplace behavior (Amoadu et al., 2024).

Secondly, it is important to establish and enforce comprehensive policies and procedures that prohibit workplace violence, bullying, harassment, discrimination, and abuse to address structural biases, racism, and ableism (Amoadu et al., 2024). The best way to achieve this is to utilize the third step, which involves strengthening reporting mechanisms for Workplace Abuse. Strengthening these mechanisms involves establishing confidential and accessible reporting systems, promptly and thoroughly investigating all complaints and concerns, and ensuring that Human Resources receives training to effectively address employee complaints. 

The fourth way is to address work-related stressors, such as reducing excessive workloads, long working hours, and resource deficiencies. Reducing these stressors can be done by hiring more employees, offering fair wages, workloads, and conducive working spaces. These actions can help support a strong work-life balance and provide flexibility for rest, time off, and boundaries (Sleek, 2024). It is essential to prioritize people over work, which leads to the fifth way. The fifth way is to invest in and normalize mental health and wellness resources in the workplace (Amoadu et al., 2024).

Employees experiencing a hostile work environment can also refer to their employee handbook or union for guidance on policies and reporting procedures, reach out to HR, consult an attorney to explore legal protections and actions, or seek external options, such as looking for a new job (Sleek, 2024). By following these steps and actions, an employee should be able to protect their own mental well-being as well as the wellness of others.

Workplace Abuse is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. It impacts individual well-being, team dynamics, organizational culture, and productivity. By recognizing the signs of Workplace Abuse, implementing strong policies, fostering supportive leadership, and promoting open communication, organizations can create safer, healthier, and more inclusive work environments. 

If you or someone you know has experienced Workplace Abuse, or if you would like to know more about Workplace Abuse, visit AbuseRefuge.org for support and further information. We bring solutions and real-time education for 28 different abuse types including Narcissism, Sexual, Physical, Psychological, Financial, Child, Self, Cyberbullying (Including Online Abuse), Bullying, Spousal, Workplace, Elderly, Isolation, Religious, Medical, Food, Authority, Educational, Child Sexual Exploitation, Sex Trafficking, Political, Weather and we’ve added six services and protocols including Norm Therapy® for PTSD, Educators, Police, Prisons, Suicide, and Military. Support our efforts by visiting AbuseRefuge.org and NormTherapy.com to sign up for Norm Therapist® Training to become one of our dynamic staff members who serve Victims and Survivors of abuse worldwide, schedule Norm Therapy® sessions, become a Live Stream volunteer, join our mailing list to learn how you can make an impact on the Abuse Care Community, and provide life-saving financial assistance with a generous donation.

Sources

Amoadu, M., Ansah, E.W., Sarfo, J.O. (2024, April 8). Preventing workplace mistreatment and improving workers’ mental health: a scoping review of the impact of psychosocial safety climate. BMC Psychology, 12(195). 10.1186/s40359-024-01675-z

National Whistleblower Center. (2017). Hostile Work Environment: Guide for Whistleblowers. https://www.whistleblowers.org/whistleblower-resources/hostile-work-environment-guide-for-whistleblowers/

Sleek, S. (2024, June 27). Toxic workplace leave employees sick, scared, and looking for an exit. Here’s how to combat unhealthy conditions. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/toxic-workplace