If you find yourself wrestling with self-doubt and confusion at work and questioning your grasp on reality and your own decisions, you might be facing a modern twist on workplace bullying. Gaslighting is rapidly becoming the preferred method of bullying for those who ignored the memo that intimidation and disrespect no longer have a place in the modern workplace.
The drive for safer and more respectful work environments makes obvious bullying – like yelling, insults and public humiliation – easy to spot and quick to condemn. Workplace bullies are therefore evolving, adopting more subtle and underhanded strategies such as gaslighting to obscure their malicious ways.
Gaslighting involves a deliberate pattern of deception and misinformation during which the manipulator uses denial, contradiction and false information to make the victim doubt their own memory, judgment and sanity, in the process eroding their confi dence and self-trust.
Common tactics include withholding information, trivializing feelings, twisting words and spreading lies about a victim. The term ‘gaslighting’ comes from British playwright Patrick Hamilton’s 1938 play Gas Light, in which a husband manipulates his wife into questioning her sanity by dimming the gas lights in their sitting room.
Employing a single gaslighting tactic does not equate to workplace bullying. For gaslighting to qualify as bullying, it must involve repeated tactics over time, deliberately aimed at causing harm or distress to the individual.
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These manipulative ploys set the stage for a variety of gaslighting examples in the workplace. An employee brings up a previously discussed agreement or decision made in a meeting only for their colleague to fl atly deny that the conversation ever took place.
A manager purposely withholds important information from an employee, causing them to miss deadlines or perform poorly, and then blames them for not being proactive or resourceful enough. When an employee raises concern about being overloaded with work, their supervisor tells them they are being too sensitive or overreacting, suggesting they are not cut out for the job if they cannot handle the pressure.
In discussions, a colleague twists an employee’s words or takes them out of context to make it seem as though they are not communicating e ectively or saying things they never said. For those inclined to engage in workplace bullying, gaslighting o ers appealing advantages over more overt methods.
It allows perpetrators to maintain a facade of innocence, often portraying themselves as helpful or concerned and thus avoiding accountability. Subtle manipulation can be masked as constructive criticism, leadership or just tough management, making it socially acceptable in many professional contexts. And by undermining someone’s perception of reality, the perpetrator gains signifi cant control over their victim, often leading to a sense of superiority and satisfaction.
The consequences for victims of gaslighting are profound and varied. Psychologically, it can lead to anxiety, depression and a signifi cant loss of confi dence and self-esteem. Professionally, it can result in decreased productivity, engagement and even career derailment. And socially, victims might isolate themselves to further exacerbate their vulnerability.
Addressing gaslighting in the workplace is challenging because its hidden tactics make it hard to spot and stop. Victims doubting their own experiences and the di because its hidden tactics make it hard to spot and stop. Victims doubting their own experiences and the culty bystanders have in recognizing the behavior only add layers of complexity to tackling the issue head-on. And in environments where competitiveness, ambiguity and hierarchical power dynamics are culty bystanders have in recognizing the behavior only add layers of complexity to tackling the issue head-on.
And in environments where competitiveness, ambiguity and hierarchical power dynamics are prominent, gaslighting can thrive. Such cultures often discourage open communication and vulnerability, making it di cult for victims to speak out.
In addition, when performance is prioritized over employee wellbeing, subtle forms of manipulation can be overlooked or even unintentionally encouraged. The sly and secretive nature of gaslighting suggests its prevalence in workplaces will increase, necessitating a more proactive approach from those occupying leadership positions.
Raising awareness about what gaslighting is and its e ects can empower employees to recognize and report incidents. Implementing clear policies that specifi cally address psychological manipulation and provide clear procedures for reporting and investigation can also deter potential perpetrators. Establishing robust support systems, including access to mental health resources and confi dential counselling, can aid victims in recovery.
And promoting a culture of transparency, respect and empathy can reduce the occurrence of gaslighting by emphasizing positive interpersonal relationships and communication. As traditional bullying behaviors are pushed underground by increased awareness and intolerance, gaslighting has become a preferred tactic for those seeking to exploit and dominate others.
Eradicating its presence in the workplace will always start with illuminating conversations and actions that promote trust and respect at work.
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