Psychological Abuse In The Workplace
Psychological abuse in the workplace is repeated conduct directed at a person’s confidence and standing rather than at their body. It works by accumulation, and deniability is what keeps it running.
Persistent criticism, often in front of others. Being set up to fail with impossible deadlines or missing information. Responsibilities removed without explanation. Exclusion from decisions and conversations. Work undermined to colleagues. Things said and then denied.
Each incident has an innocent explanation available. An oversight, a busy week, a misunderstanding. That is not incidental to the conduct, it is the mechanism.
The effect is that the person begins doubting their own account, and by the time they raise it they cannot describe a single event serious enough to sound convincing. Australian law addresses this primarily as bullying and as a psychosocial hazard.
Safe Work Australia sets out the psychosocial duty. This is general information rather than legal advice, and obligations vary by state and territory.
See Sentrient’s workplace bullying course and psychological safety course.
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