The Blog
Plain-language answers about what is happening at work
Short, sourced reads on mobbing, gaslighting, and the quiet tactics of a toxic workplace. Each post links to the Field Guide entries behind it.
20 postsSubscribe via RSS
- Understand it
Is Workplace Bullying Illegal? Where It Is, and Where Not
Is workplace bullying illegal? It depends on the country and the label. See where bullying is named in law, where only harassment counts, and what to do next.
13 min read
- Understand it
Why Do Coworkers Gang Up on One Person? Psychology of Mobbing
Why coworkers turn on one person: an unclosed conflict, an organization that allows it, someone with a motive, recruits who join, and bystanders who stay silent.
10 min read
- Recover from it
Recovering From a Toxic Job: The First 90 Days, Honestly
Leaving a toxic job does not end it overnight. Here is what the first 90 days can look like, what the research does and does not say, and when to get help.
11 min read
- Recognize it
Your Manager Keeps Moving the Goalposts: Set Up to Fail
When the target changes after you hit it, it may be a stress habit or a deliberate squeeze. Learn how to tell, pin goals down in writing, and set your limit.
8 min read
- Recognize it
Your Boss Criticizes You in Front of Others: Public Shaming
Feedback and public shaming can sound alike. Learn the audience test that tells them apart, what to say in the moment, and how to spot a pattern at work.
9 min read
- Recognize it
Smear Campaign at Work: When Someone Turns People Against You
Think a coworker is turning people against you? Learn how a smear campaign differs from gossip, why correcting it in public backfires, and what to do instead.
13 min read
- Understand it
DARVO at Work: When Raising a Problem Makes You the Problem
DARVO means Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender. See three workplace examples, what the research shows, and how to respond without feeding it.
9 min read
- Recognize it
15 Subtle Signs of a Toxic Workplace (and 5 Look-Alikes)
Toxic workplaces rarely announce themselves. See 15 subtle signs, 5 look-alikes that only seem toxic, and a simple way to tell ordinary friction from a pattern.
9 min read
- Recognize it
Is It Me or Is My Workplace Toxic? 7 Questions That Tell You
Wondering if it is you or your job? Seven evidence-based questions help you tell a toxic workplace from a hard patch, and cover the case where it is both.
12 min read
- Respond to it
Should You Go to HR About Bullying? What HR Can Do
Should you go to HR about bullying? Learn what HR is for, when it tends to act, what survey data says about employer reactions, and how to pick your next step.
11 min read
- Recognize it
Silent Treatment at Work: When a Coworker or Boss Goes Quiet
A coworker or boss who stops talking to you is not just awkward. Learn to spot workplace silent treatment, sort it from a bad week, and respond without chasing.
11 min read
- Respond to it
How to Document Workplace Bullying: A Record That Holds Up
Learn how to document workplace bullying with five fields, a copyable template, what to leave out, and where to store it so your record holds up with HR.
11 min read
- Respond to it
Coworker Took Credit for Your Work? What to Say and Do
A coworker took credit for your work? Learn what to say in the room, what to write afterward, and how to build a record that makes your authorship clear.
11 min read
- Respond to it
What to Say When You Are Gaslit at Work: 9 Calm Scripts
Nine short scripts for when a boss or coworker denies or rewrites what happened, with why each one works, when not to use it, and what to do if it is not safe.
9 min read
- Recognize it
Is My Boss Gaslighting Me? 10 Examples and a Simple Test
Ten workplace examples of gaslighting by a boss, plus a paper-trail test that separates a real pattern from an honest memory gap. Plain language, no labels.
10 min read
- Understand it
Mobbing vs Bullying vs Harassment: What Each Word Means
Mobbing, bullying and harassment overlap in research but differ in law. Learn what each word means and why the label matters for your next step.
10 min read
- Recognize it
Workplace Mobbing Examples: 7 Scenarios and What Each Shows
Seven composite workplace mobbing examples, from the missing meeting invite to the quiet exit, each with what it looks like from inside and what pattern it is.
11 min read
- Recognize it
12 Signs You Are Being Mobbed at Work: A Checklist, Not a Verdict
Twelve everyday signs of being mobbed at work, grouped along a research scale's three clusters, plus a timing test and what several yeses do and do not mean.
11 min read
- Understand it
What Is Mobbing at Work? Definition, Stages, and Bullying
Mobbing is when colleagues or managers turn against one person for months. Learn the definition, Leymann's four stages, and how it differs from bullying.
12 min read
- Understand it
What Is an Anti-Toxic Person? How They Behave at Work
An anti-toxic person is a stance, not a personality type. How to recognize one at work, what they do under pressure, and what the idea does not mean.
24 min read
