Mobbing is negative and repetitive behavior that occurs in the workplace over a prolonged period. The victim of such behavior is usually helpless against the perpetrator (such a person is called a mobber). Mobbing involves not only acts of physical violence, but primarily persistent psychological abuse.
Mobbing can take the form of:
Active mobbing – involves imposing excessive responsibility on an employee while limiting their ability to make their own decisions, which causes anxiety and a sense of insecurity.
Passive mobbing – manifests itself in disregard for the employee, for example, by failing to delegate tasks or instructions.
Polish labor law introduced a definition of mobbing in 2004, according to which mobbing refers to actions directed against an employee that are long-term and persistent. This means that one-off negative behaviors do not qualify as mobbing, even if they are illegal. Mobbing behavior must last approximately six months and occur regularly, for example, at least once a week.
Mobbing encompasses various forms of pressure, such as intimidation, humiliation, unjustified criticism, threats of dismissal, imposing unrealistic responsibilities, isolating an employee from the team, spreading rumors, hostile gestures, and inappropriate behavior.
Expert Prof. W. Muszalski distinguishes five groups of mobbing behaviors that:
impede communication,
disrupt social relationships,
tarnish a person’s image,
deteriorate the professional and personal situation,
harm the victim’s health.
Mobbing results in lowered employee evaluation, humiliation, ridicule, isolation, or even exclusion from the team. Employers are obligated to prevent mobbing and are responsible for mobbing not only on their own part, but also on the part of co-workers, contractors, and even family members of the employer working within the company.
If an employee is exposed to mobbing resulting in a health disorder, they may claim compensation and damages from the employer, who is responsible for all damages suffered, taking into account their severity and the consequences in their personal and professional lives.
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