Sometimes, workplace harassment is obvious. A supervisor engages in quid pro quo sexual harassment of a specific employee, or a group of employees overtly mistreat a worker to create a hostile work environment. The person targeted cannot overlook the harassment because it is overt.
Other times, harassment on the job can be a bit more subtle. People may need to look closely to see the warning signs of an inappropriate employment environment. They may also need to keep records, as those small actions can add up to a hostile work environment. The following are some of the more subtle signs of workplace harassment.
Social isolation
Perhaps coworkers always sit together during lunch or breaks but never leave room for one employee. Maybe the entire department has team-building activities outside of work, but the manager always excludes one worker. Isolation from teammates and exclusion from social opportunities can be a warning sign of workplace harassment.
Micromanagement
Micromanagement is how some supervisors do their jobs. They pay close attention to every worker to ensure that every detail meets certain standards. However, when micromanagement seemingly only applies to one employee, that can be an indicator of an inappropriate workplace environment.
Invasive supervision
Many organizations require that workers use company email addresses or company-provided devices. Sometimes, harassment might involve a supervisor or someone from the IT department picking through every email or all use of a company device to embarrass a worker or find excuses to discipline them. Particularly when that degree of invasive oversight seemingly only applies to one worker, that can be a sign of workplace harassment.
Intimidation
Micromanagement and invasive supervision often go hand-in-hand with intimidation efforts. People may try to threaten a worker by making veiled threats about them losing their job.
Sabotage
Maybe a co-worker deletes files from a shared folder. Perhaps a supervisor blames one subordinate any time they get accused of making a mistake at work. Managers or co-workers sabotaging the work performance of one employee can be a sign of workplace harassment.
Documenting subtle signs of harassment and discrimination can help workers prove that they have experienced misconduct on the job. Professionals who decide to take legal action often need evidence substantiating their allegations that a company has treated them inappropriately or overlooked misconduct targeting a worker.
