Workplace gaslighting is a serious form of psychological manipulation that can have detrimental effects on the mental health and well-being of individuals. This behavior often occurs in professional settings, where a person or group deliberately makes a targeted individual question their own memory, perception, and reality. It can lead to self-doubt, anxiety, and even depression, leaving the victim feeling confused, uncertain, and powerless.
Senior individuals in positions of power in the workplace may engage in gaslighting to reinforce power dynamics. For example, a manager may consistently deny promising an employee a promotion or raise, despite clear evidence to the contrary. This can make the employee doubt their capabilities and undermine their confidence at work. Additionally, when employees raise concerns about workplace harassment or discrimination, they may be dismissed as being “overly sensitive” or their experiences deemed as “imaginary,” causing them to question the validity of their concerns.
A 2023 study published in Frontiers In Psychology identified two types of psychologically abusive behaviors that comprise workplace gaslighting: trivialization and affliction. Trivialization involves oversimplifying phenomena, having a skeptical attitude, and undermining subordinate perspectives, fears, and realities. This can lead victims to doubt their perceptions, feelings, and self-worth over time, feeling isolated and unsupported as their experiences are consistently invalidated. Affliction, on the other hand, elicits emotions of pain, suffering, and torment, leading to negative feelings about oneself, self-criticism, dependency, emotional drain, and feelings of inadequacy.
In a psychologically safe workplace, employees feel comfortable expressing themselves, making mistakes, and asking for help without fear of negative consequences or judgment. Leaders actively listen to employees, provide constructive feedback, and focus on growth and improvement rather than blame or criticism. If you are experiencing workplace gaslighting, seek support from trusted individuals, human resources, or mental health professionals. Remember that you deserve to feel safe, valued, and respected at work. Take the Psychological Safety Scale to determine if your current workplace is psychologically safe.
