What is Workplace Gaslighting?

May 23, 2024

Gaslighting is now a common problem in workplaces around the world, and it’s known for having a big effect on workers’ mental health and ability to do their jobs. Undermining a person’s reality to the point where they question their memory, perception, and reasoning is this type of psychological manipulation. That behaviour usually comes from people in charge, like bosses or experienced coworkers, and makes the workplace less healthy.

Understanding Gaslighting

When it happens at work, gaslighting can be very subtle, but it has very bad affects. It includes things like denying facts over and over, making serious worries seem less important, and putting the blame on the victim. The targets lose faith in their own judgment, which hurts their confidence and success at work. The phrase comes from the 1938 play “Gas Light,” which is about a husband who manipulates his wife by changing how she sees the world.

Characteristics of Workplace Gaslighting

Key signs of gaslighting in the workplace include:

Denying or distorting facts: For example, a manager might deny approving a request they previously agreed to.
Trivializing concerns: Comments like “You’re just too sensitive” dismiss the employee’s legitimate grievances.
Shifting blame: Incorrectly blaming an employee for failures or mistakes.
Withholding information: Deliberately keeping critical information to set up employees for failure.
Isolation tactics: Preventing the victim from forming supportive workplace relationships by spreading rumors or misinformation.
Using intimidation: Employing threats or aggressive behaviors to keep the victim anxious and subdued. These behaviors not only damage individual employees but can also degrade the overall workplace atmosphere, leading to reduced morale and productivity.

Addressing Gaslighting in the Workplace

Combating workplace gaslighting requires concerted efforts from both the organization and its leadership. Steps to address this issue effectively include:

Promoting a transparent culture: Making it safe for workers to talk about their problems without fear of being punished is an important part of open communication.
Providing training: Educating employees and managers about gaslighting and other forms of psychological abuse to promote awareness.
Establishing clear policies: Having clear rules in place that spell out what will happen if someone is gaslighted.
Offering support mechanisms: Creating support systems such as counseling services and mediation programs to aid affected employees.
Encouraging accountability: Make sure that people who do gaslighting get the right kind of punishment to stop it from happening again.

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