What Is Psychological Harassment
What is psychological harassment? It is repeated conduct directed at a person’s confidence, standing or sense of competence rather than at their body.
It works through accumulation. Persistent criticism, often in front of others. Setting someone up to fail with impossible deadlines or missing information. Removing responsibilities without explanation. Excluding them from decisions and conversations. Undermining their work to colleagues. Denying things that were said.
The last of those is why it goes unreported for so long. When each incident is small and deniable, the affected person starts 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, rather than under the name psychological harassment.
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 psychological safety course and workplace bullying course.
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