--- title: "Workplace Bullies: Different Types and HR Solutions" description: How to identify different types of workplace bullies and how HR and EAP programs like Ulliance EAP can help protect employee well-being. image: https://blog.ulliance.com/hubfs/Woman%20being%20bullied%20at%20work.png --- Enhancing People. 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[Workplace bullying](https://blog.ulliance.com/ending-workplace-bullying) rarely announces itself. It builds through a slow accumulation of small moments, an ignored idea here, a comment that lands sharper than it should there, until the pattern is well established before anyone really recognizes that it is happening. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being identifies bullying among the forms of psychological harm workplaces should address, alongside bias, discrimination, emotional hostility, and harassment. Under its “Protection from Harm” essential, the framework calls on employers to prioritize physical and[psychological safety.](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/psychologically-safe-workplace-guide) For HR professionals, naming what’s actually happening is the real challenge, since the right response depends on which kind of behavior is in front of them. --- [![Download Workplace Bullies: Different Types and HR Solutions   Share with your team. Workplace Bullies: Different Types and HR Solutions guide gives your team the awareness and tools they need to recognize bullying in all its forms and feel confident that HR is equipped to help.  ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3690782/interactive-223138686341.png)](https://blog.ulliance.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLI5GE13z0CRGyl5LtHDNefSOngmXZrZT%2FtOSIBQUPA9l3fgCDAbXmXUX5OIKWplNL%2Bu01nxV33DY8uhco%2BbwpHtKX%2BDrTQs1kL2hV6qmVxv7I2FJMhFXBfbNSCIvKh%2FfSJY3Yf4u6cRrGAHUbPO8avN%2BhvYo2r%2Bwb3cO5dKyZisxYXbyPxJttl15315J2F4GwTWZZIFlOPCcQuMjWGsFTKKvk%2BTzq0eA%2FzWGpBDQ0fmj7ZENSWAW1%2B%2BfkudGIckUO7HOgXP1%2Fo%3D&webInteractiveContentId=223138686341&portalId=3690782) --- ## Why Understanding Workplace Bullying Matters for HR Bullying at work has often been treated as a personality problem, something to manage between two people rather than address as an organizational risk. That framing makes bullying easy to overlook, since a single tense interaction rarely looks like a policy failure. Bullying can expose employers to real liability, particularly when it overlaps with other legal theories: - Discrimination or [harassment](https://blog.ulliance.com/hr-and-eap-building-safer-harassment-free-workplaces)claims, when the mistreatment connects to a protected characteristic. - Retaliation claims, which are a separate and often sharper risk. They turn on whether the employee engaged in a legally protected activity, like reporting suspected discrimination, not on protected-characteristic status. A retaliation claim can succeed even when the underlying discrimination or [harassment allegation](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/het-sexual-harassment-awareness) isn’t proven, as long . - Intentional infliction of emotional distress claims, though courts set a high bar that makes them difficult to win. A limited but growing number of state laws also touch on abusive workplace conduct, though they don’t uniformly create a right to sue over bullying itself. More than 30 states have introduced anti-bullying legislation in recent years.  HR is rarely dealing with a purely interpersonal matter, even when it looks that way on the surface, though none of this makes bullying automatically actionable on its own. Addressing it well falls largely on HR, since [HR is usually the first place an affected employee turns](https://blog.ulliance.com/supporting-employee-wellbeing-the-role-of-hr-and-eap-in-self-compassion), and often the only party positioned to see a pattern that no single manager or coworker has the full picture of. --- ## The 4 Most Common Types of Bullies in the Workplace [Workplace bullying](https://blog.ulliance.com/say-no-to-workplace-bullying-and-yes-it-is-a-real-thing) doesn’t show up as one uniform behavior. It tends to cluster into a handful of recognizable patterns, and knowing which one is in play changes what actually works to stop it. ### 1. Aggressive Bullies: Direct Confrontation and Intimidation This is the version most people picture first. Yelling in a meeting. Public criticism designed to embarrass rather than correct. A raised voice or a pointed finger meant to make an example of someone in front of colleagues. It’s loud, it’s witnessed, and it’s rarely subtle, which paradoxically makes it easier to document and address than the types that follow. ### 2. Passive-aggressive Bullies: Undermining and Subtle Sabotage Where aggression is loud, this type operates in the gaps. Information gets withheld until it’s too late to be useful. Someone is left off a meeting invite that affects their work. Credit for a project ends up going to someone else instead. Each incident, taken alone, can look like an oversight. It’s the pattern across incidents that reveals the intent, which is exactly why this pattern can be harder for [HR to identify and substantiate through available evidence,](https://blog.ulliance.com/guidelines-conducting-comprehensive-just-unbiased-hr-investig) and easier for a target to doubt their own read on the situation. ### 3. Manipulative Bullies: Emotional Control and Gaslighting This type is less about confrontation and more about control over perception, both the target’s and everyone else’s. They can be warm and supportive to a person’s face while working against them behind the scenes. Gaslighting fits here too; repeated denial of things the target knows they experienced, until the target starts questioning their own memory or judgment rather than the bully’s behavior. Colleagues often see only the friendly version, which makes it difficult for a target to be believed. ### 4. Cyberbullies: Online Harassment in [Remote Work](https://blog.ulliance.com/remote-work-mental-health-concerns) Environments As more work moved onto digital platforms, bullying followed. Research from Eurofound, the European Union’s labor research agency, finds that, while workplace cyberbullying may be less studied and less common than its face-to-face counterpart, it is equally damaging to [mental health](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/the-ultimate-guide-tame-anxiety-0). It’s better understood as an extension of those same behaviors, carried out over chat, email, or video, than as an entirely separate problem. Remote and hybrid arrangements can make it easier for this behavior to go unnoticed, since there’s no hallway conversation or shared office to surface it. --- ## Signs and Impacts of Each Bully Type on Employees Workplace bullying is consistently linked to worse mental health, and the relationship runs in both directions. A meta-analysis found bullying exposure associated with more symptoms of [depression](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/understanding-depression), anxiety, and [stress-related](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/stress-in-the-workplace-guide) complaints. The same research found that people with existing mental health struggles were also more likely to report subsequent bullying, which suggests bullying and mental health strain can reinforce each other over time rather than moving in a single direction. This isn’t a niche problem. In a CDC National Health Interview Survey, 6.8 percent of adult U.S. workers reported being threatened, bullied, or harassed on the job during the preceding 12 months, with women reporting it at a noticeably higher rate than men. Because that figure combines three different experiences into one measure, it shouldn’t be read as a bullying-only rate. What this looks like day to day depends heavily on which type of bullying is involved. - With aggressive bullying, the signs tend to be visible fast: [anxiety](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/the-ultimate-guide-tame-anxiety) before meetings, a visible startle response to raised voices, or an employee who becomes noticeably quieter in group settings where they were once vocal. - Passive-aggressive bullying shows up more gradually, often as confusion or self-doubt. An employee might describe feeling like they’re always one step behind on information everyone else seems to have, without being able to point to a single clear incident. - Manipulative bullying frequently produces isolation from colleagues, since the target’s account of what’s happening often conflicts with the friendlier version others see. This can leave someone feeling unsupported even when they do speak up. - Cyberbullying can bleed into hours outside the workday, since a message or comment doesn’t stop existing when someone logs off. Employees affected by it may show [heightened anxiety](https://blog.ulliance.com/how-conquer-anxiety) around notifications or a reluctance to use the communication tools the behavior traveled through. None of these signs are proof on their own. But a manager or [HR professional](https://ulliance.com/hr-professional-support/)who knows what to look for by type is far better positioned to identify and address a developing pattern before it escalates. --- ## How HR and EAPs Can Intervene Effectively A useful starting sequence, according to HRMorning’s guidance around bullying, is to assess potential legal exposure first. HR should respond empathetically to a report of potential bullying and determine whether it may involve harassment, discrimination, or retaliation before addressing related compliance risks and investigating the broader bullying concern. From there, investigation comes next, followed by exploring the available options, which can include reassignment or [counseling for the person whose behavior is in question.](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/coaching) Mediation is sometimes an option too, but it should be used cautiously, and generally not as a substitute for investigation, when there’s a significant power imbalance, a credible harassment or retaliation allegation, or a safety concern. That sequence holds regardless of type, but what happens within it shifts: - [Aggressive bullying](https://blog.ulliance.com/narcissism-workplace-how-hr-can-help-employees-cope) tends to leave a clearer trail, with witnesses, specific incidents, and dates, which makes documentation and investigation more straightforward. - Passive-aggressive and manipulative bullying often require HR to look across a longer timeline, since no single incident may look serious enough on its own to act on. - Cyberbullying leaves a written record by nature, which can simplify investigation considerably compared to behavior that only ever happened in person. ### Using EAP Services for Confidential Support [Counseling is one of the options HR has available](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/best-employee-assistance-programs/) once a concern is raised, both for the employee affected and, in some cases, for the person whose behavior is in question.  The Surgeon General’s Framework specifically flags Employee Assistance Programs as a workplace resource that remains significantly underutilized, and recommends that organizations [regularly evaluate and promote EAP utilization](https://blog.ulliance.com/hr-boost-eap-engagement-10-essential-tactics)rather than assuming employees already know the resource exists. For an employee who isn’t ready to file a formal complaint, or who isn’t sure whether what they’re experiencing counts as bullying, [confidential EAP support](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/best-employee-assistance-programs/) offers a lower-stakes way to talk through the situation before deciding on next steps. That support can complement, but shouldn’t replace, a timely and impartial investigation and appropriate corrective action when a formal complaint is made. --- ## Strategies to Protect Employee Well-being and Engagement [Protecting employee well-being and engagement](https://blog.ulliance.com/hr-boost-eap-engagement-10-essential-tactics) starts with prevention, which lives mostly in what happens before anyone files a complaint, in the everyday culture of a workplace and in whether managers actually know what they’re looking at when they see it. ### Creating a Culture That Discourages Workplace Bullying Culture shows up less in written policy and more in what gets tolerated day to day. [A team where a manager’s outbursts are shrugged off](https://blog.ulliance.com/do-you-contribute-drama-workplace) as “just how they are” is signaling, whether intentionally or not, that the behavior carries no real cost.  A workplace that responds the same way regardless of who’s involved builds more trust than one with a strict policy that bends for certain people, since consistent enforcement shows employees the policy is real. ### Training Managers to REcognize and Respond to Bullies [Managers are usually the first line of defense](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/managers-under-pressure-the-hr-leaders-guide-to-supporting-their-team), since they see day-to-day team dynamics that HR often doesn’t. Training that only covers the loud, obvious version of bullying leaves managers unequipped to catch passive-aggressive undermining, manipulative isolation tactics, or cyberbullying that never happens where they can see it. [Effective training](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/training-development/) goes beyond a single onboarding module. It should include:  - How to recognize each type of bullying - How to document a pattern rather than waiting for one clear-cut incident - How to respond in the moment without either overreacting or dismissing a concern. Managers who understand the different forms bullying takes are far more likely to intervene early, before a situation reaches the point where formal HR involvement is the only option left. --- ## Ulliance EAP: Tools and Resources to Address Bullying Addressing workplace bullying rarely rests on one intervention alone. Clear policy and trained managers only go so far without a confidential resource employees actually trust enough to use. The [Ulliance Life Advisor Resolution EAP Model®](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/best-employee-assistance-programs/) is built around that combination. Employees affected by bullying, along with those whose behavior is in question, have access to confidential counseling, coaching, and crisis support designed to address problems while there’s still room to change course. > *“A difficult employee had many issues with aggression in the workplace and was recommended for a formal referral. After they completed their counseling, they showed a remarkable transformation, it was like working with a completely different person.”* — Director of Human Resources That kind of outcome reflects what EAP support is meant to do: give organizations a resource for behavior change, not just a place to send the people affected by it. Whether your organization is refining an existing anti-bullying policy or building manager training from scratch, the Ulliance team can help design an approach suited to your workplace. --- ---   ## FAQs - Workplace Bullying What is workplace bullying? Workplace bullying is repeated, harmful behavior directed at an employee, ranging from direct intimidation to harder-to-spot forms like exclusion or manipulation. What separates it from ordinary workplace friction is the pattern: a single tense exchange isn't bullying, but a sustained pattern of harmful conduct is. It can come from a manager, a peer, or a group of coworkers. What's the difference between workplace bullying and normal workplace conflict? Ordinary conflict is typically isolated, mutual, and resolves once the underlying disagreement is addressed. Bullying is repeated, often one-directional, and continues regardless of resolution attempts. A single disagreement or a manager's critical feedback isn't bullying on its own. A sustained pattern that undermines, isolates, or intimidates an employee is. Is workplace bullying illegal? No single federal law makes bullying itself illegal. But it can create real legal exposure when it overlaps with discrimination, harassment, or retaliation tied to a protected characteristic, or through intentional infliction of emotional distress claims in some states. A handful of states address abusive conduct through specific laws or training requirements. How should HR respond to a report of workplace bullying? HR should assess legal exposure first, since bullying tied to a protected characteristic changes what's procedurally required. From there, investigation and documentation come next, followed by exploring options such as reassignment or counseling for the person whose behavior is in question. The right response often depends on which type of bullying is involved and how clear the pattern is. How can EAP services help with workplace bullying? [EAP services](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/get-a-quote-ulliance-website)offer confidential counseling and support for employees affected by bullying, and in some cases, for the person whose behavior is in question. They give someone a lower-stakes way to talk through a situation before deciding whether to file a formal complaint, but they work best alongside, not instead of, a timely and impartial investigation. --- [![Click to Learn More Contact Ulliance EAP for a better EAP, HR coaching and other employee support tools](https://blog.ulliance.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stigma%20contact%20us.png?width=1000&height=481&name=Stigma%20contact%20us.png)](https://campaigns.ulliance.com/get-a-quote-ulliance-website) --- Matt Pambid Psychotherapist **About the Author** **Matt Pambid, LMSW**, is a licensed psychotherapist with more than **30 years of clinical experience** helping individuals navigate stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, life transitions, and workplace concerns. He spent **over a decade at Ulliance**, where he provided counseling, supported Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services, and authored educational articles that translated evidence-based mental health research into practical strategies for employees, leaders, and HR professionals. Passionate about making psychology accessible, Matt has dedicated his career to helping people build resilience, strengthen emotional well-being, and thrive both personally and professionally. --- *When you partner with Ulliance, our Life Advisor Consultants are always just a phone call away to teach ways to enhance your work/life balance and increase your happiness. The [Ulliance Life Advisor Employee Assistance Program](https://ulliance.com/employee-wellness-resources/eap-resources/) can help employees and employers come closer to a state of total well-being.* Investing in the right EAP or Wellness Program to support your employees will help them and help you.  Visit[https://ulliance.com/](https://ulliance.com/) or call 866-648-8326. **The Ulliance Employee Assistance Program can address the following issues:** • Stress about work or job performance • Crisis in the workplace • Conflict resolution at work or in one’s personal life • Marital or relationship problems • Child or elder care concerns • Financial worries • Mental health problems • Alcohol/substance abuse • Grief • Interpersonal conflicts • AND MORE! ---   --- References: 8 Bully Types That Disrupt Workplace Culture; HRMorning; Carol Warner [https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/8-workplace-bully-personality-types/](https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/8-workplace-bully-personality-types/) Bullying in the Workplace; American Bar Association, TortSource; Helen L. Respass and Gay F. Chase [https://www.americanbar.org/groups/tort\_trial\_insurance\_practice/resources/tortsource/2025-summer/legislative-update-bullying-workplace/](https://www.americanbar.org/groups/tort_trial_insurance_practice/resources/tortsource/2025-summer/legislative-update-bullying-workplace/) U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; Office of the U.S. Surgeon General [https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/workplace-mental-health-well-being.pdf](https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/workplace-mental-health-well-being.pdf) Workplace Bullying, Harassment and Cyberbullying: Are Regulations and Policies Fit for Purpose?; Eurofound; Sara Riso [https://eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-09/ef24019en.pdf](https://eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-09/ef24019en.pdf)     ---   ###### [About Us](https://ulliance.com/about-us/) - [Leadership](https://ulliance.com/about-us/company-leadership/) - [Careers](https://ulliance.com/about-us/careers/) --- ###### [Resources](https://ulliance.com/employee-wellness-resources/) - [EAP Resources](https://ulliance.com/employee-wellness-resources/eap-resources/) - [Training Resources](https://ulliance.com/employee-wellness-resources/training-resources/) - [Well-being Resources](https://ulliance.com/employee-wellness-resources/well-being-resources/) - [Video Resource Library](https://ulliance.com/video-resource-library/) ###### [Services](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/) - [Employee Assistance Program](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/best-employee-assistance-programs/) - [Wellness Program](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/life-advisor-wellness-programs/) - [Training & Development](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/training-development/) - [Organizational Development Consulting](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/organizational-development-od-consulting/) - [Outplacement Services](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/outplacement-services/) - [Incident & Crisis Management](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/workplace-crisis-management/) - [Student Assistance Programs](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/student-assistance-program/) - [Workplace Substance Abuse Services](https://ulliance.com/human-resource-services-solutions/workplace-substance-abuse-services/) --- ###### [HR Professionals](https://www.ulliance.com/hr-professional-support/) We assemble everything you need to know to make the right decision for your people. --- ###### [Brokers & Consultants](https://ulliance.com/broker-healthcare-consultants/) Test out configurations with our ROI Calculator and get shareable resources for your clients. --- ###### [Blog](https://blog.ulliance.com) [Contact Us](https://ulliance.com/get-a-quote) ###### [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Ulliance/) [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ulliance/) [twitter](https://twitter.com/Ulliance) [pinterest](https://www.pinterest.com/ulliance/pins/) [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ulliance-inc/) [ULLIANCE HQ](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ulliance,+Inc./@42.5620874,-83.1965503,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x8824c6a07511aa29:0xdf123af96248279b!8m2!3d42.5620874!4d-83.1939754!16s%2Fg%2F1260krrwn?authuser=0&hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDcyMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)  3250 W. Big Beaver Rd, Suite 200, Troy, MI 48084  [Privacy Policy](https://ulliance.com/privacy-policy) --- [Terms & Conditions](https://ulliance.com/terms-of-use/) --- Copyright © 2018 Ulliance, Inc. All Rights Reserved × Search Submit Clear ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "FAQPage", "mainEntity" : [ { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Workplace bullying is repeated, harmful behavior directed at an employee, ranging from direct intimidation to harder-to-spot forms like exclusion or manipulation. What separates it from ordinary workplace friction is the pattern: a single tense exchange isn't bullying, but a sustained pattern of harmful conduct is. 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