An employee is covering their ears while another employee is yelling at them.

Behaviors Associated with Abusive Conduct

Let’s take this moment to explore some of the behaviors that are associated with abusive conduct. Click on each item below to learn more.

+ Verbal Abuse

+ Nonverbal Abuse

+ Physical Abuse

+ Cyber Abuse

+ Undermining Performance

Verbal Abuse

Behaviors include but are not limited to:

  • Persistent teasing, name calling, and insults,
  • Unnecessarily yelling or screaming at someone,
  • Constantly belittling or ridiculing someone,
  • Using profanity toward someone,
  • Participating in slander or gossip, and
  • Threatening to do bodily harm.

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Nonverbal Abuse

Behaviors include but are not limited to:

  • Using threatening gestures,
  • Flinching or lunging at someone,
  • Mocking someone in an offensive manner,
  • Circulating offensive images using visual mediums, and
  • Wearing or displaying offensive clothing or objects.

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Physical Abuse

Behaviors include but are not limited to:

  • Hitting, pushing, grabbing, shoving, poking, or tripping someone,
  • Throwing items or objects at someone, and
  • Purposely impeding or blocking someone’s path.

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Cyber Abuse

Behaviors include but are not limited to:

  • Embarrassing, harassing, or threatening someone using digital technology,
  • Posting hurtful images or comments about someone to social media,
  • Spreading misinformation, rumors, or gossip about someone online, and
  • Sending cruel or humiliating emails, text, or instant messages.

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Undermining Performance

Behaviors include but are not limited to:

  • Sabotaging or degrading the quality of someone’s work,
  • Damaging or tampering with someone’s work area or personal property,
  • Assigning or reassigning someone unfavorable tasks out of spite or for revenge,
  • Assigning tasks that are well beyond a person’s skill level,
  • Repeatedly reminding someone of their past errors or mistakes,
  • Blatantly excluding or disregarding someone’s input, ideas, or suggestions, and
  • Taking credit for someone’s work.

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