A Practical, Human Guide to Understanding, Spotting & Stopping It!
Psychological abuse in the workplace can feel invisible. There are no bruises, no dramatic scenes, no police sirens. Yet the impact? Massive. It chips away at confidence, strains mental health, and can ruin someone’s career or, worse, their sense of self.
In Australia, awareness of workplace behaviour has grown, but psychological abuse still flies under the radar because people often don’t know what counts as abuse. Many think it must be extreme to be “real”. It doesn’t.
This guide breaks everything down clearly, using real definitions from trusted Australian bodies. No fluff. No made-up stats. Just solid, helpful insight written in a way actual humans speak.
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
- What Is Psychological Abuse in the Workplace?
- How Australia Defines Psychological Abuse
- The Difference Between Reasonable Management Action and Abuse
- Common Forms of Workplace Psychological Abuse
- Subtle Signs You May Miss
- Why Psychological Abuse Happens
- The Impact on Workers and Organisations
- Australian Laws and Employer Responsibilities
- How to Respond if You’re Experiencing Psychological Abuse
- What Employers Can Do to Prevent It
- Final Thoughts
What Is Psychological Abuse in the Workplace?
Psychological abuse in the workplace refers to repeated behaviour that harms a person’s mental wellbeing, sense of safety, or dignity. It can include insults, intimidation, manipulation, exclusion, or any pattern of behaviour designed to belittle, control, or destabilise someone.
It’s often called psychological harassment, emotional abuse, or workplace bullying, depending on the context. While these terms vary slightly, they all describe behaviour that creates a hostile environment.
Unlike physical violence, workplace psychological abuse doesn’t leave visible wounds, making it harder to identify. Victims can doubt themselves or think they’re “overreacting”. But consistent mistreatment, no matter how subtle, can do long-term harm.
And no, you’re not imagining it. Many Australians deal with psychological abuse at work every year, according to ongoing reports from workplace regulators and mental-health organisations.
How Australia Defines Psychological Abuse
To keep things real, here’s how major Australian organisations describe it:
Safe Work Australia
Safe Work Australia recognises psychosocial hazards such as bullying, harassment, aggression, and conflict. Psychological abuse falls under these hazards because it threatens mental health and can cause long-term psychological injury.
A behaviour becomes a psychosocial hazard when it is unreasonable and repeated, creating a risk to health and safety.
This is precisely where psychological abuse fits.
Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
The AHRC notes that workplace harassment, whether based on sex, race, gender, disability, or other protected characteristics, can be psychological. Harassment creates an offensive, intimidating, or hostile work environment that is against Australian law.
Fair Work Commission (FWC)
The FWC defines workplace bullying as repeated unreasonable actions that create a risk to health and safety. Psychological abuse is often at the core of bullying behaviours.
In simple terms: If the behaviour repeatedly harms your mental health or sense of safety, and it’s not a reasonable management action, it likely counts as psychological abuse under Australia’s frameworks.
Reasonable Management Action vs Psychological Abuse
Many workers quietly ask themselves:
“Is this abuse, or is my manager just doing their job… badly?”
Good question.
Australia makes a clear distinction between reasonable management action and abuse.
Reasonable Management Action includes:
- Giving feedback (even if uncomfortable)
- Setting performance expectations
- Managing poor performance
- Allocating work
- Taking disciplinary steps through a fair process
This is all normal. As Safe Work Australia explains, it’s not abuse when it’s done reasonably.
Psychological Abuse, on the other hand, includes:
- Constantly criticising someone in front of others
- Using performance reviews to punish or humiliate
- Withholding support or information to make someone fail
- Public shaming disguised as “feedback”
- Setting impossible expectations with the intent to cause stress
A good rule of thumb: If it’s targeted, cruel, manipulative, or designed to intimidate – it’s not management; it’s psychological abuse.
Common Forms of Workplace Psychological Abuse
Psychological abuse takes many shapes. Some are loud. Some are quiet. All are harmful.
- Verbal Insults and Humiliation
This includes name-calling, mocking, sarcasm meant to wound, or shouting. Even snide comments delivered with a smile can cause harm.
- Gaslighting
Gaslighting happens when someone manipulates you into doubting your memory or perception.
Example:
“You’re imagining things.”
“I never said that.”
“You’re too sensitive.”
- Exclusion and Social Isolation
Being left out of meetings, chats, or important decisions, especially on purpose, is a form of psychological abuse.
- Excessive Monitoring or Micromanagement
Managers should monitor work, but when it becomes controlling, obsessive, or punitive, it crosses into abuse.
- Manipulative Behaviour
This could involve guilt-tripping, exploiting vulnerabilities, or giving praise one day and punishment the next to destabilise someone emotionally.
- Threats and Intimidation
Threats don’t need to be loud. They can be subtle: “Careful. Others who disagreed with me didn’t last long here.”
- Sabotage
Withholding resources, excluding someone from information, or setting them up to fail all count as psychological abuse.
- Online or Digital Harassment
Teams rely heavily on digital communication. Abusive behaviour can show up in emails, chat apps, or passive-aggressive late-night messages.
- Subtle Signs You May Miss
Psychological abuse often hides behind “workplace culture”. Here are signs many Australians overlook:
- You feel anxious every time your phone buzzes at work.
- You rehearse conversations in your head before approaching someone.
- You feel guilty taking leave even when unwell.
- Your confidence has dropped since working with a specific person.
- You walk on eggshells around a colleague or manager.
- You are constantly blamed for mistakes that aren’t yours.
- You dread meetings with one individual.
- Your ideas are always dismissed unless someone else repeats them.
These signs don’t prove abuse on their own. However, when they appear repeatedly and consistently, they may indicate a harmful environment.
Why Psychological Abuse Happens
No single answer exists, but common contributing factors include:
- Poor Leadership: Some managers lack emotional intelligence or training. Others use fear as a management tool.
- Toxic Workplace Cultures: If a culture rewards competition over cooperation, abusive behaviour can flourish.
- Power Imbalance: Psychological abuse often happens when someone believes they can mistreat another person without consequences.
- Stressful Work Environments: High-pressure industries, understaffing, and unreasonable workloads can fuel aggression and frustration.
- Normalised Behaviour: In some workplaces, employees might accept behaviour that is clearly unacceptable.
- Lack of Accountability: When workers see others get away with harassment, they assume it’s “just how things are done”. None of these excuses the behaviour. But understanding why it happens helps people recognise it faster.
The Impact on Workers and Organisations
Australia’s regulators highlight a long list of potential harms from psychosocial hazards like psychological abuse.
Impact on Workers:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Difficulty concentrating
- Loss of confidence
- Stress-related illnesses
- Decreased job satisfaction
- Burnout
Psychological abuse can also trigger long-term psychological injury, which Work Health and Safety laws take seriously.
Impact on Organisations:
- Higher absenteeism
- Low morale
- High turnover
- Decreased productivity
- Increased workers’ compensation claims
- Damage to workplace reputation
In short, the cost is high for everyone.
Australian Laws and Employer Responsibilities
Australia has strong workplace health and safety regulations aimed at preventing harm, physical or psychological.
Work Health and Safety (WHS) Laws
Under WHS laws adopted by most states and territories, employers are required to provide a workplace that is safe both physically and psychologically.
This includes managing psychosocial hazards like bullying, harassment, and abusive behaviour.
Anti-Discrimination Laws
The Australian Human Rights Commission enforces anti-discrimination laws covering:
- Sex
- Gender identity
- Race
- Disability
- Age
- Religion
Harassment based on these characteristics is illegal and can amount to psychological abuse.
Fair Work Act
The Fair Work Commission can issue orders to stop workplace bullying when repeated unreasonable behaviour creates a risk to health and safety.
Employer Duty of Care
Employers must:
- Identify psychosocial hazards
- Assess the risks
- Implement control measures
- Review their effectiveness regularly
Failure to address widespread abuse can expose an organisation to legal and regulatory consequences.
How to Respond if You’re Experiencing Psychological Abuse
This part can be tricky to read, especially if you’re living through it. But clarity helps.
- Document Everything
Record dates, times, witnesses, and descriptions of incidents.
Keep emails, messages, and notes.
Documentation is not dramatic; it’s smart.
- Check Workplace Policies
Most Australian organisations have policies on:
- Bullying
- Harassment
- Code of conduct
- Complaints processes
Know your rights before acting.
- Talk to Someone You Trust
This could be:
- A colleague
- A friend
- A family member
- A GP or mental health professional
Sometimes, an external perspective helps you recognise patterns.
- Speak to HR or Management
If you feel safe doing so, raise your concerns formally.
Stick to the facts.
Use your documentation.
- Use Internal Reporting Channels
Many workplaces have anonymous or confidential reporting tools.
- Seek External Support
If the behaviour continues or internal processes fail, consider:
- The Fair Work Commission (bullying complaints)
- The Australian Human Rights Commission (harassment or discrimination)
- SafeWork regulators in your state or territory
These organisations exist to support workers dealing with harm.
- Prioritise Your Mental Health
Seeking the advice of a psychologist or GP is not a sign of weakness.
It’s health care like going to the dentist, but for your mind.
- What Employers Can Do to Prevent Psychological Abuse
Prevention is always easier (and cheaper) than managing psychological injury later.
- Create Clear, Strong Behaviour Policies
Policies should be easy to understand and actively supported by leadership.
- Train Managers Properly
Many managers are promoted for their technical skills, rather than their people skills.
Training helps close the gap.
- Promote Psychological Safety
Encourage open communication.
Reward respectful behaviour.
Discourage blame culture.
- Encourage Reporting
Make it safe for employees to speak up.
Ensure confidentiality.
- Take Action Quickly
Slow responses worsen harm and erode trust.
- Lead by Example
If leaders behave respectfully, others are more likely to follow.
- Monitor Workloads and Stress
High workloads and poor job design contribute to harmful behaviour.
Strong culture is not built by posters on the wall; it’s built by consistent behaviour.
Final Thoughts
Psychological abuse in the workplace is often silent, but its effects are loud. It harms confidence, well-being, and entire careers. It damages organisations, teams, and culture.
In Australia, workplace regulators and human-rights bodies take psychological harm seriously, and so should workplaces.
If you’re dealing with psychological abuse, you’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone. Support is available. You deserve a workplace where you feel safe, respected, and valued.
Healthy workplaces aren’t perfect. They commit to addressing harm honestly and building a culture where everyone can thrive.
And that’s something worth striving for.
Read More About Psychological Health And Safety:
- How To Identify, Prevent, And Respond To Psychological Harassment In The Workplace
- The Importance Of Psychological Health And Safety Training In The Workplace
- The Importance Of Psychological Health and Safety Training For New Employees
- Psychological Health And Safety Training: A Powerful Tool For Creating Inclusive And Diverse Teams
- Why Psychological Health and Safety Training Is the Missing Piece in Your Team’s Success
