Sleep Disruptions And Other Potential Mental Health Effects Of Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying is a serious public health concern involving behavior that’s intended to intimidate, belittle, or discriminate against an employee. A hostile work environment can affect more than just productivity, potentially leading to serious mental health challenges as well. Below, we’re providing an overview of workplace bullying, discussing some possible effects of a toxic work environment, and outlining solutions for fostering safe and supportive working conditions. 

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What is workplace bullying?

According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, workplace bullying refers to “repeated, health-harming mistreatment by one or more employees.” Workplace bullying can involve a broad range of actions that create a hostile work environment, including harassment, intimidation, and discrimination. Sometimes used to achieve a specific end—such as increased productivity—bullying can manifest in numerous ways. It’s estimated that 30% of workers in the United States experience bullying. 

Workplace bullying can lead to several mental and physical health challenges in those on the receiving end, such as burnout, stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and depression. Additionally, it can have serious implications for an individual’s professional life, potentially impacting their work performance and career trajectory. 

Signs of a hostile work environment 

Because workplace bullying has such a broad definition, it can manifest in many different ways. Individuals who engage in bullying at work may withhold projects, disseminate rumors, set overly high expectations, or engage in verbal, physical, or sexual harassment. Often, workplace bullies are seeking to manipulate their colleagues in various ways. Bullying can also be intended to make one employee look good at the expense of another. 

While the indicators of a toxic workplace are easy to identify at times, certain bullying behaviors may be less obvious. Workplace bullying can involve not only overt displays of hostility or intimidation, but also various forms of passive aggression. 

Take, for example, a situation in which a manager attempts to diminish an employee’s achievements so they can receive more credit for their department’s success. To do this, the manager might speak negatively about the employee’s skills to superiors or attempt to belittle them in front of coworkers. Alternatively, the manager may attempt to limit the attention the employee receives by excluding them from projects or placing them on low-profile tasks. While the former action can be easier to recognize, both types of behaviors can be considered bullying—and may lead to similar effects. 

Possible mental health effects of workplace bullying

Workplace bullying is associated with an array of potential psychological challenges. For example, studies suggest that a hostile workplace can lead to symptoms of depression, anxiety, burnout, and psychosomatic disorders. Bullying can also lead to reductions in workplace productivity due to mental distress. 

In addition, incivility in the workplace can contribute to a lack of job security, possibly causing a person to worry about being fired or needing to leave their position. This can lead to further challenges, like financial anxiety and low self-esteem. Individuals who experience workplace bullying may also engage in substance use as a coping mechanism. 

How workplace bullying can impact sleep

Individuals experiencing toxicity in the workplace may struggle with feelings of nervousness, tension, frustration, or fear. Bullying may also cause employees to worry that they’ll lose their jobs, which can lead to a cycle of negative thinking. 

When an individual ruminates on their distress or anxiety due to a hostile work environment, they may then struggle to sleep at night. In a study linking sleep disruptions to a lack of civility in the workplace, researchers suggest that rumination was a significant contributor to insomnia. 

Workplace bullying and sleep disruptions in partners

There is also evidence to indicate that sleep disturbances caused by workplace bullying may affect not only an employee, but also that individual’s family members in some cases. In one study, researchers suggest that workplace bullying negatively impacted sleep quality in employees, which in turn led to poorer sleep in their partners. According to the study, these results were influenced by increases in rumination regarding work.

How to address workplace bullying

If you’re working in a toxic environment, there are certain steps you may be able to take to avoid or reduce the above-mentioned effects of bullying in the workplace. The following are strategies for navigating workplace bullying.

Talking to the offending individual

In some cases, speaking to the individual engaging in the bullying behavior directly can help you come to an understanding and end the hostility. Note, however, that in cases of threatening or abusive behavior, this is not the recommended route. With less severe forms of bullying, though, talking through the situation may help you and your colleague come to an understanding. 

Keep in mind that confronting a coworker may not always lead to positive results, though. Some individuals who engage in workplace bullying portray their coworker’s responses as overreactions. Others may use gaslighting or emotional appeals to avoid taking responsibility for their behavior. If your coworker minimizes your concerns or attempts to manipulate you, further action may need to be taken. 

Building a support network

Having the support of other colleagues in your organization can often be crucial as you address hostile behavior. Research suggests that social support can be a protective factor against workplace bullying and a contributor to job satisfaction. To this end, you might ensure you maintain open channels of communication between you and your colleagues, including with relevant managers and members of your HR department, if applicable.

To build your support network, consider participating in non-mandatory work functions, such as team volunteer opportunities, sports leagues, happy hours, or social chats. It can also be important to maintain a robust support system outside of work. Friends and family members may be able to help you alleviate work stress and cultivate a healthy work-life balance. 

Documenting the bullying

When you experience bullying, you might try to record relevant information about the circumstances in a journal or on your phone or computer. This can make it easier to recount the events when necessary. Keeping emails, text messages, memos, and other important forms of documentation can also help you provide evidence of hostility to your superiors or human resources department. 

Reporting the behavior to HR or superiors

If you’re unable to address negativity in the workplace by talking to your colleague directly, you might consider the option to report bullying to individuals in positions of authority. Discussing this person’s behavior with a superior or your human resources department can help ensure your concerns are on record. 

Fostering a supportive work environment

Promoting a safe, healthy workplace and focusing on bullying awareness may help individuals avoid toxic behavior. Research suggests that organization-wide efforts to prevent bullying in the workplace can lead to positive mental health outcomes. In one study, for example, researchers indicated that a psychosocial safety climate (PSC)—a program that limits certain psychosocial risk factors in the workplace environment—reduced bullying and led to improved mental well-being. The PSC in the study involved anti-bullying initiatives, conflict resolution strategies, and improved workflows.

If possible, you might consider suggesting or supporting any initiatives geared toward bullying prevention. If you’re in a management position, you might hold regular meetings about workplace civility. Those in positions of power can also incorporate bullying-related support into an employee assistance program. 

Moving on from a toxic workplace

If you’ve made attempts to address hostility in the workplace but are still facing bullying, it may be time to consider other options. Answering a few questions can help as you decide on next steps. Are there other departments within your workplace that you can transfer to? Are there positions similar to your current role available at other companies? You may find that there are numerous openings that fit your qualifications. Or, you might decide that you’d like to pursue a different type of work.

If you decide to pursue other avenues, remember that moving on from a toxic situation can be a brave choice and not a sign of failure. Exploring other options can be a way for you to take the next steps in your career while prioritizing your mental and physical well-being.

How therapy can help

Experiencing bullying in the workplace can be difficult to go through alone. In addition to leaning on social support like friends and family, meeting with a therapist may also be helpful. They can create a safe space for you to express your emotions, frustrations, and fears and help you develop strong communication skills or stress-management habits. If workplace bullying has led you to develop a condition like an anxiety disorder or depression, a therapist can also help address your symptoms.

Addressing the mental health effects of workplace bullying in online therapy

Individuals who are already navigating the demands of work may not have the time to travel to and participate in face-to-face therapy. In such cases, online therapy can be a flexible and more cost-effective form of mental health care that may help participants address workplace bullying and related concerns in a more convenient way. 

With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can work through bullying, burnout, and other work-related mental health challenges remotely with a licensed therapist through video call, voice call, or in-app messaging. Online therapy also can cost less than in-person therapy without insurance.

Experiencing work-related stress?

Seek support in online therapy

The efficacy of online therapy

Research suggests that online therapy may help address various work-related mental health challenges. In a systematic review of seven studies, researchers indicate that online therapy may lead to reductions in job stress, burnout, and anxiety related to workplace bullying. Additionally, participants experienced improvements in the quality of their work life as well as increased resilience. 

Takeaway

Workplace bullying is a serious occupational health concern that can negatively impact an individual’s emotional health, physical well-being, sleep quality, and ability to function. Addressing toxicity in the work environment can be beneficial not only for employees, but also for their family members, potentially helping improve sleep quality and overall psychological health outcomes. If you’d like help navigating hostility in the workplace, you might consider meeting with a therapist.