Workplace Bullying by Supervisors: When the Bully Is Your Boss
We often think of bullying as something between peers, but research shows that most workplace bullying starts with supervisors.
“Workers who have been directly bullied number 48.6 million; witnesses number another 30.6 million. The sum suggests that 79.3 million workers have been affected (bullied + witnesses).”
According to the Workplace Bullying Institute 2021 survey:
- 75% of workplace bullies are supervisors.
- In 42% of cases, bosses knew bullying was happening and did nothing.
Silence isn’t neutral. It protects the bully and deepens the betrayal for employees who thought they could turn to leadership for support.
Related: Workplace Bullying
Why Managers Aren’t Your Friends
When managers are the bullies, or enable them, it creates a power imbalance that’s nearly impossible to challenge. They control the narrative, HR, and in many cases, your career path. What feels like “bad leadership” is often actually bullying with authority behind it.
“Employed Americans: 39% suffer abusive conduct at work, another 22% witness it, 61% are affected by it, and 73% are aware that workplace bullying happens.”
We Have a Systemic Problem in America
“Retaliation and HR’s record of failing to resolve bullying situations convince many prospective complainants to remain silent. […] It is noteworthy that respondents in this 2021 survey were cognizant of the role organizational culture, described via the three factors in the response options, plays in enabling and failing to stop workplace bullying.”
If you’ve experienced bullying from a manager, know this: you’re not overreacting, and you’re not alone. The statistics prove this is systemic, not personal.
Let’s make an echo that says: workplace bullying starts at the top, and silence is complicity.
