8 Workplace Harassment Types & How to Address Each

Workplace harassment continues to be one of the most pressing and persistent challenges for organizations today. Despite decades of awareness, evolving workplace policies, and mandatory compliance training, harmful behaviors still find space to thrive often quietly, and often unchecked.

Over 52% of employees report witnessing or experiencing unethical, inappropriate, or even illegal conduct on the job. This statistic underscores that workplace harassment is no longer a series of isolated incidents it's a widespread issue demanding urgent attention.

As HR professionals, you can shape a work environment built on respect, safety, and inclusivity. When issues arise, employees often turn to HR 48% seek support directly from Human Resources. This shows just how vital your role is in resolving conflicts and maintaining a healthy workplace culture.

What happens if it is left unaddressed? The cost of inaction is severe. Workplace misconduct costs U.S. businesses an estimated $20 billion annually in rehiring costs alone. But the financial toll doesn’t stop there. The effects of harassment loss of talent, disengagement, irreparable brand damage, and falling shareholder value are even more damaging. You can avoid these challenges by taking proactive steps to understand and address harassment early on.

This article breaks down the types of workplace harassment every HR professional must recognize and respond to not just for compliance, but to foster a culture where employees feel safe, respected, and empowered to thrive.

Understanding Workplace Harassment

Workplace harassment refers to any unwelcome, offensive, or inappropriate behavior whether verbal, physical, or psychological that creates a hostile, intimidating, or abusive work environment.

This behavior can come from anyone in the workplace colleagues, managers, clients, or even third-party vendors. It may be overt or subtle. Often, it appears as bullying, discrimination, or repeated mistreatment. In many cases, individuals are targeted because of personal traits, job status, or perceived differences.

While some incidents are obvious, many go unnoticed or unreported and that's where the real damage begins. When harassment is ignored or mishandled, the workplace culture begins to deteriorate. Employees lose trust, engagement declines, and overall performance takes a hit.

The data makes this clear. According to the Workplace Harassment & Misconduct Insights report:

• Only 31% of employees who experience or witness harassment say they would recommend their organization meaning over 69% have lost trust in their employer.
• 30% of employees exposed to unethical or illegal behavior left the organization compared to just 11% who had no such exposure.

This isn't just about turnover. It's about losing valuable talent, experience, and internal credibility the very things that fuel organizational growth. And these exits rarely happen in isolation. They lead to:

• Loss of institutional knowledge
• Lower team morale and productivity
• Increased hiring and training costs
• A weakened employer brand that makes attracting new talent even harder

However, it's not all bleak. There's a clear path forward and it starts with how harassment is handled. When organizations take misconduct seriously, respond promptly, and resolve issues fairly, the results are measurable. Employee trust improves, and referral rates rise to 56%.

These insights highlight the urgent need for HR professionals to take proactive steps not just to minimize legal risk, but to foster a safe, respectful, and positive work environment.

Common Types of Workplace Harassment

As we’ve discussed, workplace harassment is a direct threat to employee safety, organizational culture, and long-term performance. It affects how people show up, how teams function, and whether trust can exist in the workplace.

Some forms of harassment are obvious; others are more insidious. But all of them, if ignored, lead to the same outcome: employees disconnecting, silently enduring, or walking away.

For HR professionals, this isn’t just about enforcing policy it’s about building accountability alongside it.

Preventing harassment requires more than compliance. It calls for clear guidelines, consistent action, and a culture where inappropriate behavior is addressed not ignored.

Understanding the different forms harassment can take is the first step toward stopping it before deeper damage is done.

1. Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment remains one of the most recognized and most reported forms of workplace misconduct. Legally defined under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, it includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. These behaviors typically take two forms:

• Quid Pro Quo: where job-related decisions like promotions or continued employment are tied to sexual conduct
• Hostile Work Environment: where repeated or severe conduct creates an abusive, intimidating, or offensive workplace
  
  

In fiscal year 2023, the EEOC received 31,354 sexual harassment charges the highest number in 14 years. This surge signals rising employee awareness, but also exposes persistent gaps in prevention and response.

Studies show that over 50% of women and 19% of men have experienced sexual harassment at work. The consequences? Increased rates of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, absenteeism and widespread disengagement that affects morale and productivity across teams.

As for HR leaders, this isn’t just a policy issue it’s a culture issue. And policies alone aren’t enough. When perpetrators are in positions of power, victims may fear retaliation.

To counter this, organizations must go further:

• Establish independent or third-party reporting channels
• Protect anonymous complaints and enforce anti-retaliation protocols
• Ensure no individual is above investigation, regardless of title
  

Sexual harassment thrives in silence and hierarchy. Stopping it means creating a culture where safety, fairness, and accountability speak louder than power — and where HR leads by example.

2. Retaliation

Retaliation isn’t just a reaction it’s a calculated form of workplace harassment. It occurs when an individual is punished for reporting a concern, cooperating in an investigation, or asserting their legal rights. This punishment may not always be obvious. It can show up as being sidelined from projects, denied promotions, subtly excluded, or targeted through verbal or physical mistreatment.

What makes retaliation especially concerning is its chilling effect. Most employees who witness harassment choose not to report it not because they’re indifferent, but because they fear retaliation. Even when formal complaints are filed, the process rarely ends there. Without proper aftercare follow-ups, protective measures, and check-ins affected employees may face continued hostility or subtle forms of punishment that go unnoticed by leadership.

The legal and financial implications are significant. In FY 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received 42,301 retaliation-related charges, with retaliation accounting for 56% of all complaints. The total monetary benefits awarded in these cases exceeded $308 million the highest figure in years. These statistics reveal not only rising awareness but also ongoing failures in prevention and protection.

Part of the challenge lies in the social psychology of the workplace. In harassment cases, 18% of employees reported that no one intervened illustrating the bystander effect. As psychologist Dr. Julia Shaw puts it:

“Most of us believe we’d be that kind of active bystander a hero who stands up when something goes wrong. But research shows a different story. When presented with a hypothetical scenario, most people say, “Of course I’d intervene.” But in real-life situations, most people do nothing. They fall prey to the bystander effect.”

Julia Shaw

Criminal Psychologist

Preventing retaliation requires more than compliance. Organizations must establish visible, credible systems of support post-investigation. Leaders need to be trained to identify signs of subtle retaliation and respond decisively. Building a culture of psychological safety at work where employees know that speaking up won’t cost them their careers is the true benchmark of progress.

3. Discriminatory Harassment

Discriminatory harassment occurs when individuals are targeted based on characteristics that are legally protected under federal law including:

• Racial Harassment: Includes racial slurs, offensive jokes, derogatory comments, or unfair treatment based on someone’s race, ethnicity, or cultural background
• Gender Identity Harassment: Targets individuals who identify outside traditional gender norms, through misgendering, mocking, or refusing to acknowledge their identity
• Religious Harassment: Involves disrespect or intolerance toward someone’s faith, such as criticizing religious practices, attire (like hijabs or turbans), or prayer needs
• Disability Discrimination: Occurs when employees with physical or mental disabilities are mocked, excluded, or denied reasonable accommodations required to perform their job
• Sexual Orientation Harassment: Includes inappropriate questions, offensive jokes, gossip, or hostility toward someone based on their real or perceived sexual orientation
• Ageism: Refers to discrimination against older employees (typically 40+), such as sidelining them from opportunities, making backhanded comments, or assuming incompetence due to age

This form of harassment is especially complex, as it often stems from deep-rooted prejudice and societal conditioning, rather than overt or easily identifiable acts.

Unlike other forms of harassment that may be tied to specific incidents, discriminatory harassment is often subtle, cumulative, and deeply personal. It thrives in environments where unconscious bias goes unchecked making it harder to detect and even harder to report.

This complexity makes it particularly challenging for HR leaders to address, as it spans multiple identities and often goes unnoticed until trust, engagement, or culture begins to erode. 

The numbers paint a concerning picture. According to the 2023 Workplace Harassment and Misconduct Insights, 61% of Black employees report experiencing discrimination compared to 40% of all employees.

For LGBTQ+ women, the experience is even more severe. A McKinsey study shows:

• 62% of bisexual women and 53% of lesbian women have experienced sexual harassment
• 86% of bisexual women and 82% of LGBTQ+ women overall report frequent microaggressions

When left unchecked, the consequences go far beyond individual harm they erode inclusion, drive disengagement, and put the organization at serious legal and reputational risk.

To counter this, HR must go beyond surface-level compliance. It requires confronting bias, empowering inclusive leadership to recognize harm early, and embedding zero-tolerance as a cultural standard not just a written policy. 

What’s “just a joke” to some may be a breaking point for others and HR must be the safeguard in between.

4. Third-Party Harassment

Third-party harassment occurs when employees are subjected to unwelcome or inappropriate behavior by individuals who are not under the payroll of your organization. This includes customers, clients, suppliers, contractors, patients, delivery personnel, or visitors anyone an employee engages with during the course of their work.

Though external to the company, these individuals can still cross serious boundaries. In fact, 14% of employees report being harassed by someone outside their organization. For those in client-facing or public roles, the emotional toll can be significant leading to increased stress, burnout, and even reluctance to perform certain job functions.

In the U.S., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act makes employers liable if they fail to act on third-party harassment they knew or should have known about.

From a risk management standpoint, the implications are clear. If HR doesn’t have policies that extend to third-party interactions, the organization is exposed legally and culturally. A well-defined third-party harassment policy must go beyond internal compliance and include:

• Clear definitions and examples of third-party harassment
• Communication of expectations to all vendors, clients, and external partners
• Safety protocols for high-risk roles including lone working, offsite visits, and night shifts

Empowering employees with these helps prevent escalation and signals that their safety is non-negotiable regardless of who the offender is.

5. Psychological Harassment

Psychological harassment is often the most overlooked yet most corrosive form of workplace misconduct. It includes repeated, non-physical behaviors designed to isolate, intimidate, or mentally exhaust an employee. Unlike overt harassment, psychological harassment often hides behind workplace norms, making it harder to identify and even harder to address.

Common manifestations include:

• Workplace Bullying: Persistent, targeted actions like humiliation, threats, or unfair criticism often masked as “management style”
• Gaslighting: Undermining an employee’s confidence by making them question their own performance, memory, or perception of events
• Social Exclusion: Deliberately isolating someone from meetings, decisions, or work-related events
• Micromanagement (when excessive): Not always harassment, but when used to control or punish, it can border on psychological abuse

A recent survey revealed that 42% of employees have experienced bullying, and 26% have encountered other forms of harassment. Yet, awareness remains low and in many cases, toxic behaviors are normalized or quietly ignored.

“Bullying why is it all over the place? What struck me in reading about it is that companies, corporations, and organizations often don’t know what to do about it. They tend to sweep it under the carpet, pretend it doesn’t exist. Quite often, they’ll pay off the people who are being bullied and include a clause in that agreement that prevents them from talking about it so it all just gets buried. The bully, in the meantime, gets promoted.”

Clive Roland Boddy

Deputy Head, School of Management at Anglia Ruskin University

It reinforces the reality that many HR teams may struggle with: not knowing how to take visible action when harassment is psychological, subtle, or coming from leadership.

To tackle this, organizations must invest in behavioral training to equip teams and leaders with the emotional intelligence, behavioral awareness, and interpersonal skills needed to recognize and resolve toxic dynamics before they take root.

6. Physical Harassment

Physical harassment refers to any unwelcome physical contact, aggressive behavior, or threat of violence in the workplace. This includes hitting, pushing, grabbing, or any act that compromises an employee’s physical safety whether subtle or overt.

It’s more widespread than many organizations realize. According to Forbes, over 2 million U.S. workers become victims of workplace violence each year. On a global scale, 8.5% of employees have reported facing physical violence or harassment with slightly higher rates among men, often due to their exposure to high-risk or frontline roles.

Encouragingly, more organizations are prioritizing prevention with 50% of employees reporting that they’ve received workplace violence prevention training in the past year. However, the other half remain unprepared, leaving critical gaps in organizational safety strategies.

7. Verbal Harassment

Verbal harassment is a defining trait of toxic workplaces often overlooked because it doesn’t leave visible scars. Yet it includes some of the most damaging behaviors: demeaning remarks, public belittlement, slurs, unwanted jokes, and gossip disguised as banter.

Alarmingly, 56% of employees report being belittled in front of peers, while 58% of healthcare professionals say verbal abuse is the most common form of non-physical violence they face.

What makes this even more critical is that leaders themselves are often the source. When those in authority model dismissive or hostile communication, it sets the tone for the entire organization. That’s why it’s essential for leaders to reflect on their own behavior, recognize harmful patterns, and actively foster a workplace where respect is standard not optional.

Unchecked verbal harassment doesn’t remain an isolated issue it drifts into a toxic work environment, and once that happens, recovery becomes far more difficult than prevention.

8. Power Harassment

Power harassment occurs when authority is misused to intimidate, manipulate, or mistreat subordinates. Unlike other forms of harassment, it doesn’t follow a single pattern it’s defined by the imbalance of power and the abuse of it. This can manifest as sexual coercion, unrealistic workloads, discriminatory remarks, or even intentional exclusion from growth opportunities.

Recent findings revealed that 33% of employees pointed to middle managers and 27.5% to C-level leaders as the source of toxic workplaces. This is a clear signal of how power dynamics create heightened vulnerability for those in junior or non-management roles.

These aren’t isolated incidents they’re indicators of structural failure. When those in positions of power become the source of harm.

That’s why HRs must approach this with rigor. Leadership behavior should be regularly evaluated, not assumed to be above reproach. Confidential reporting mechanisms must be insulated from retaliation, and feedback loops should allow for upward accountability not just top-down control.

Addressing power harassment isn’t just about protecting individuals. It’s about safeguarding the integrity of your culture. Because when abuse goes unchecked at the top, the damage doesn’t trickle it floods.

Case Study: Confederation of British Industry (CBI)’s Response to Workplace Harassment

In April 2023, Brian McBride, the President of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), addressed the severe crisis within the organization regarding workplace harassment. In an open letter to its members, McBride expressed deep regret and shame over how the CBI, once a proud champion of British industry, failed its people by allowing toxic behavior to flourish within its ranks.

The letter acknowledged a series of organizational deficiencies that led to the crisis, particularly in how misconduct was handled and how a culture of complacency allowed harassment to persist unchecked.

The Crisis and Organizational Deficiencies:

The CBI was rocked by serious allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct, some of which dated back several years. When these allegations were brought to light, it was revealed that the CBI's systems for preventing and addressing misconduct were severely lacking. McBride acknowledged that the organization failed to filter out toxic individuals during the hiring process, did not conduct proper cultural onboarding, and lacked sufficient training for managers to uphold cultural values.

The absence of HR representation at the board level also limited the escalation of issues when they were most needed. These failures allowed a small group of individuals with regressive attitudes to feel empowered, leading to a reluctance among victims to formally report incidents.

The most damaging aspect, McBride emphasized, was the organization's failure to act decisively when allegations were made. Rather than removing offenders promptly, attempts to resolve sexual harassment cases allowed toxic behavior to continue, compounding the harm and eroding trust within the organization.

Immediate Actions and Changes:

In response to the crisis, the CBI has committed to comprehensive reforms aimed at rebuilding trust, ensuring accountability, and fostering a safe, respectful workplace. The following steps have been adopted:

1. Zero-Tolerance Policy for Harassment: The CBI has implemented an immediate zero-tolerance policy toward sexual harassment and bullying behavior. All staff and board members are required to undergo compulsory training on bullying and harassment prevention, employee relations best practices, mental health awareness, and employment law. This training is now a permanent and continuous feature of the workplace.

2. Overhaul of Recruitment and Onboarding: The CBI has revised its recruitment and onboarding processes to ensure that new hires align with the organization's commitment to a positive workplace culture. These changes are designed to prevent the hiring of individuals with harmful attitudes and to ensure that all employees understand the organization's cultural values from the start.

3. Leadership Changes and Appointments: To lead the cultural transformation, the CBI appointed Rain Newton-Smith as its new Director General. Newton-Smith's leadership is highly regarded, and she is trusted by employees to guide the CBI through this difficult period. The organization is also in the process of recruiting a new Chief People Officer (CPO) to ensure that the policies around harassment prevention, recruitment, and zero-tolerance enforcement are fully integrated into the organization's culture.

4. Independent and Confidential Whistleblowing Channel: In an effort to rebuild trust and encourage transparency, the CBI has established a permanent, independent whistleblowing channel outside the organization. This channel is designed to give employees a safe and confidential way to report past and future incidents of misconduct. To further ensure accountability, the CBI has engaged an external HR consultancy to independently examine any complaints made during the ongoing review.

5. Ongoing Review and Member Involvement: The CBI is committed to continuously improving its processes. McBride emphasized the importance of involving members in the review process, recognizing that their guidance and support are essential to ensuring the organization's transformation is successful. A Member EGM is scheduled for June to discuss progress and gather feedback.

The steps taken by the CBI demonstrate a powerful commitment to addressing the crisis of harassment and restoring the organization's reputation. The leadership has shown accountability by acknowledging the mistakes made and committing to a comprehensive plan for change. While the road to rebuilding trust will be long, the CBI's commitment to cultural reform sets an example for other organizations dealing with similar challenges.

The CBI's experience highlights the importance of proactive leadership, effective training, and robust systems for reporting and addressing misconduct. By addressing these issues head-on, the CBI aims to not only rebuild its internal culture but also demonstrate to its members and the public that it has learned from its mistakes and is determined to create a safer, more inclusive work environment for all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Workplace harassment is not an isolated issue it’s deeply embedded in organizational culture when left unaddressed. Whether it manifests through power imbalances, subtle exclusion, or overt misconduct, the impact is undeniable: diminished morale, legal exposure, and the quiet departure of talented individuals.

This is where leadership must take a stand. Creating a respectful, safe workplace isn’t just about compliance it’s about commitment. Employers must equip their teams through proactive initiatives like policy reinforcement, inclusive leadership practices, and most importantly, targeted corporate training that builds awareness and accountability across all levels.

At Edstellar, we help organizations take action. Our expert-led corporate training solutions address behavioral, leadership, and interpersonal dynamics to prevent harassment at its roots. With our advanced Skill Matrix Software, you can also assess role-based competencies, identify gaps, and ensure the right skills are in place to sustain a healthy work environment.

Because the goal isn’t just to stop harassment it’s to build cultures where people feel respected, empowered, and proud to contribute. And that change starts with the actions you take today.