The Toxic Workplace and the Quiet Bully

Bullying is rife in higher education. Research indicates that over a period of twelve months, 25% of academics will identify as being bullied in any twelve-month period. When you add in those that witness bullying, the figures reach 50–75%. Over a career, it appears that those who have no exposure to bullying are in a minority. Bullying in universities is also notable for continuing over long periods of time.

Because too many of us are, therefore, finding ourselves working in an increasingly dysfunctional, sometimes personally hostile, work environment, in May 2022 Women-Space organised a webinar with a leading expert in the field - Fran Sepler.

Fran brought her enormous experience of workplace harassment in a compelling and insightful analysis of the ‘quiet bully’.

Fran described the ‘quiet bully’ as a “serial bully who focuses on one person at a time, and systematically tears away at their wellbeing, their confidence and their capacity to show up in a meaningful way at their job.”

Compared to the ‘loud bully’ who can be recognised by their behaviour of say shouting and physical aggression, the quiet bully’s behaviour is far more subtle. As Fran said:

“The ‘quiet bully’ uses a wide array of predictable tactics: micromanaging them, assigning them unrealistic workloads or deadlines; withholding resources, denigrating them publicly, spreading misinformation, gaslighting and damning with faint praise.  They drive employees towards quitting or, eventually, being fired.  There is often, for those who care to look, a trail of resignations and terminations behind them.” 

‘Quiet bullies’ are abusive individuals who have learnt how to ’game’ situations at a sophisticated level.  

Fran described those who are bullied in the powerful language of the ‘target’ indicating the very deliberative and calculated nature of a bully’s behaviour. She outlined how, if you are a target of such vicious behaviour, you are likely to go through these stages of spiralling experience: being absent; trying to adapt to the situation; feeling destabilised; and finally failing in your work.

One of the reasons why bullying is rife in higher education is because there are specific enablers: the power structure attached to tenure; faculty-staff relations; decentralisation combined with the lack of adequate management training; and a strong “that’s just ….” culture that excuses the bully on the basis that their behaviour is simply their ‘way’.

What can you do if you find yourself in such a situation? Certainly, keep careful documentation of all encounters. When toxic closed doors conversations happen, follow them up with an email so that you have a record. You can also reach out to those who have left to see if they have had similar experiences. Sadly, and this happens far too often in my experience, you can consider leaving. This might well be better for your own mental health but in truth you are left bearing the career costs - let alone financial costs - of someone else’s wholly unreasonable and nasty behaviour.

If this has happened, or indeed is happening, to you and you are looking for support, get in touch.

Christina Hughes

May 2022