Article Summary
Siti Fatimah Abdul Ghani, Head of the Intervention Services Section, Human Resource Services Division, UPM, and Senior Psychologist, warns that workplace bullying often hides in subtle forms such as exclusion, rumour-spreading and unfair workloads that quietly harm employees' mental health and organisational performance. Poor leadership and unmanaged stress are key causes, she says, urging victims to document and report incidents, while reminding employers of their legal duty under Act 514 to ensure safe, respectful workplaces.

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By: Noor Eszereen Juferi

 

Workplace bullying is emerging as a serious threat to employee wellbeing and organisational sustainability. Persistent behaviours such as humiliation, intimidation and harassment not only undermine victims’ mental health but also reduce productivity and weaken overall organisational performance.

 

Head of the Intervention Services Section, Human Resource Services Division, Registrar’s Office, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Siti Fatimah Abdul Ghani, said workplace bullying encompasses any repeated, unreasonable behaviour that is intended to, or has the effect of, humiliating, threatening, isolating or undermining an employee’s wellbeing.

 

“Bullying is not simply a normal workplace conflict or difference of opinion. It involves an abuse of power, intimidation or persistent mistreatment that places victims under continuous psychological pressure.”

 

As a Senior Psychologist, Siti Fatimah also noted that many people assume bullying only involves physical aggression, verbal abuse or shouting. In truth, workplace bullying often takes more subtle forms that frequently go unnoticed.

 

“These include publicly humiliating or belittling someone, spreading malicious rumours, excluding employees from meetings, assigning unreasonable workloads, deliberately withholding important information, making threats and engaging in cyberbullying through workplace communication platforms or social media,” she said.

 

Although such behaviour may leave no visible physical injuries, it can inflict deep emotional scars and, if left unaddressed, may lead to more serious mental health conditions.

 

Siti Fatimah said a toxic employee can also influence the entire organisational culture through behaviours such as provoking conflicts, undermining colleagues, refusing to cooperate or abusing authority.

 

“When such behaviour is tolerated, employees begin to feel unsafe, lose trust in one another and become less motivated. A culture of mutual support gradually deteriorates into one of suspicion and mistrust,” she said.

 

She added that workplace toxicity may also stem from employers themselves when loyal employees are denied fair opportunities for career development or access to appropriate workplace benefits and support.

 

Commenting on the factors contributing to workplace bullying, Siti Fatimah said these include poor emotional intelligence, unmanaged work-related stress, unhealthy competition, weak or authoritarian leadership, failure to hold perpetrators accountable, and organisational cultures that normalise bullying or regard it as a disciplinary tool.

 

“The consequences of workplace bullying extend beyond individuals and have far-reaching implications for organisations. Victims often experience stress, anxiety, depression, loss of self-confidence, difficulty concentrating, emotional exhaustion or burnout, as well as physical health problems such as sleep disorders and high blood pressure.

 

“At the organisational level, productivity declines, work quality deteriorates, absenteeism rises, employee turnover increases, organisations struggle to retain quality talent and ultimately their reputation suffers,” she said.

 

She stressed that leadership plays a critical role in fostering a healthy workplace culture by implementing a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying, listening to complaints fairly, responding promptly to conflicts, safeguarding the confidentiality of complainants and providing training on effective communication, emotional intelligence and conflict management.

 

“Leaders who remain silent in the face of bullying send a message that such behaviour is acceptable,” she said.

 

Siti Fatimah also urged victims and witnesses not to remain silent. Instead, they should document every incident, preserve relevant evidence, seek support from supervisors, human resource officers or psychologists and utilise the organisation’s internal reporting channels.

 

“If an incident poses risks to workplace safety and employees’ psychological wellbeing, it should be referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Committee or the organisation’s management,” she said.

 

She noted that the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514), strengthened through subsequent amendments and related guidelines, places clear responsibility on employers to provide a safe working environment, including protection from psychosocial risks such as bullying, harassment and workplace violence.

 

“Employers must implement preventive measures, establish effective complaint mechanisms, conduct fair investigations and take corrective action to safeguard employees’ mental wellbeing.

 

“Workplace bullying is not merely a personal issue; it is an organisational issue. We must move away from a culture of ‘that’s just the way it is’ towards one that values awareness, respect and action. Every employee has the right to work in an environment that is safe, dignified and free from all forms of bullying.

 

“Mental health in the workplace is a shared responsibility. When organisations prioritise people’s wellbeing, they are building a workforce that is more productive, innovative, ethical and sustainable,” she said.

Date of Input: 16/07/2026 | Updated: 11/08/2026 | hairul_nizam