Workplace Bullying for Young Adults: How to Recognise It and What to Do

What Is Workplace Bullying?

Workplace bullying is behaviour from a manager or colleague that is unwanted, offensive, humiliating, or intimidating, and that occurs repeatedly over time. The key distinction between bullying and a single difficult interaction is the pattern. Bullying is not a one-off disagreement or a piece of critical feedback delivered poorly. It is behaviour that is sustained, directed at an individual, and designed or likely to undermine, demean, or harm them.

For young adults entering the workforce, recognising bullying can be genuinely difficult. You may not have enough experience to know what is normal, you may feel that speaking up could cost you your job, or you may have been told that tough management is just part of working life. None of that makes bullying acceptable. And none of it means you have to endure it.

Obvious Forms of Workplace Bullying

Some forms of bullying are relatively easy to identify. These include being shouted at, spoken to aggressively or with contempt, publicly humiliated in front of colleagues, threatened about job security without legitimate reason, or being singled out for criticism that is not applied to others doing the same work. Physical intimidation, while less common, also falls clearly into the category of bullying.

Being excluded deliberately from meetings, communications, or team activities that you should reasonably be part of is another form. Being set tasks that are impossible to complete within the time given, then blamed when they are not completed, is both a classic bullying tactic and, if sustained, potentially a form of constructive dismissal.

Subtle Forms of Workplace Bullying

Subtle bullying is harder to name but no less damaging. It can include persistent micromanagement that goes beyond reasonable oversight, where every small decision is second-guessed or corrected in front of others. It can be the consistent undermining of your contributions in meetings, where your ideas are ignored when you raise them and praised when someone else raises the same point moments later.

Subtle bullying also includes being given the least desirable tasks consistently without explanation, being left out of social gatherings that affect your sense of belonging in the team, having your work claimed by a senior colleague, and receiving the silent treatment or cold responses designed to signal disapproval. These behaviours, individually, might seem trivial. Sustained over time, they erode confidence, affect mental health, and make going to work an experience of dread rather than purpose.

Gaslighting in the workplace is worth naming specifically. This is when a manager or colleague causes you to question your own perception of events: denying that a conversation happened, telling you your response to their behaviour is disproportionate, or suggesting you are imagining a problem that others can see too. If you regularly leave interactions feeling confused about what actually happened, that is a sign worth taking seriously.

Digital and Remote Bullying

With remote and hybrid working now a standard part of many workplaces, bullying has adapted to digital channels. This can include being excluded from key communications deliberately, receiving aggressive or demeaning messages via email, instant messaging platforms like Slack or Teams, or being subjected to humiliating or undermining comments in video meetings where it is harder to respond in real time.

Digital communications also create a paper trail that can work in your favour. Unlike a conversation in a corridor, a message sent via email or a work messaging platform is documented. Preserving these communications is important if you later need to make a formal complaint.

Remote workers may also experience bullying through exclusion from information they need to do their job effectively, being expected to respond to communications outside of working hours under threat of implied consequences, or being scrutinised via monitoring software in ways that are disproportionate and demoralising.

Why Young Adults Are Particularly Vulnerable

Entry-level and early-career employees face specific vulnerabilities that bullies, consciously or unconsciously, can exploit. You may be in a probationary period, which can feel precarious. You may not yet know your rights. You may be so focused on making a good impression that you absorb poor treatment rather than challenge it. You may worry that you will be labelled as difficult or not a team player if you raise concerns.

There is also the reality that some industries have cultures where poor treatment of junior staff is normalised and even framed as character-building. This is not true. Difficult challenges and high standards are not the same as bullying. The difference lies in dignity: demanding high-quality work respects the person doing it; humiliating or undermining them does not.

Understanding the Legal Landscape

It is important to be clear that workplace bullying is not, in itself, a standalone legal claim in the UK. There is no specific law called the "Workplace Bullying Act." However, several pieces of legislation are relevant and can protect you depending on the nature of the bullying.

The Equality Act 2010 protects employees from harassment that is related to a protected characteristic. These characteristics include age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. If the bullying you are experiencing is connected to any of these characteristics, for example if you are being targeted because of your age, race, or because you are LGBT+, that constitutes unlawful harassment and you have the right to bring a claim to an Employment Tribunal.

Beyond discrimination law, sustained workplace bullying can lead to constructive dismissal. This occurs when an employer or their representative creates conditions so intolerable that you feel you have no choice but to resign. If you can demonstrate that the treatment amounted to a serious breach of the implied term of trust and confidence, you may be able to bring a constructive dismissal claim. It is worth taking legal advice before resigning if this is your situation, as the bar for constructive dismissal can be high and timing matters.

Additionally, employers have a duty of care under health and safety legislation to protect the mental and physical wellbeing of their employees. Sustained bullying that causes psychological harm can engage this duty.

Documenting What Is Happening

Whatever steps you decide to take, documentation is essential. Start an incident log as soon as you recognise a pattern. For each incident, record the date and time, where it happened, exactly what was said or done, who was present, and how it made you feel or how it affected your work. Keep this log somewhere private and secure, ideally not on a work device.

Save copies of relevant communications. If you receive a demeaning email or a message on a work platform, forward it to a personal email address or take a screenshot and save it externally. Be aware of any policies in your employment contract about use of company systems, but preserving evidence of your own treatment is generally reasonable and important.

If the bullying is affecting your health, document that too. If you visit your GP because of stress, anxiety, or other symptoms related to work, keep a note of those appointments. Medical records can be significant if you later need to demonstrate the impact of what you experienced.

Note any witnesses. If a colleague was present during an incident, make a note of who they were. You do not necessarily need to involve them straight away, but knowing who saw what may matter later.

Your Step-by-Step Options

There is rarely one single right approach. What matters is that you have a sense of what is available to you and can make informed choices about how to proceed.

Talk to Someone You Trust

If you have a trusted colleague, mentor, or friend outside the workplace, start by talking to them. Simply naming what is happening and hearing someone reflect it back can help you trust your own perception and decide what to do next. If your workplace has an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), this can also offer confidential conversations with a counsellor.

Check Your Employer's Policies

Most employers are required to have an anti-bullying or dignity at work policy, as well as a formal grievance procedure. Find these documents, usually available on an intranet or in your employee handbook, and read them carefully. They will tell you who to approach, what the process looks like, and what timescales apply. Understanding the procedure before you begin it puts you in a stronger position.

Informal Resolution

In some cases, and depending on the nature of the bullying, an informal conversation may be a starting point. This might involve speaking to the person directly if it is safe and appropriate to do so, or speaking to a line manager or HR representative to flag the situation and request it be addressed informally. Informal resolution works best for less severe situations or for those caught early. It is not appropriate where the bullying is serious, where it involves someone senior with significant power over you, or where previous attempts have not worked.

Formal Grievance

If informal steps are not appropriate or have failed, you have the right to raise a formal grievance. This is a written complaint submitted to your employer, usually to HR or a senior manager not involved in the situation. Your employer is then obliged to investigate the grievance and respond in writing within a reasonable time. Keep copies of everything you submit and everything you receive.

Escalate via ACAS

ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) is an independent public body that helps resolve workplace disputes. They offer free, impartial advice on your rights and the steps available to you. You can call their helpline on 0300 123 1100. If you are considering making an Employment Tribunal claim, you must first notify ACAS, who will offer early conciliation to see if the matter can be resolved without a Tribunal hearing.

Looking After Your Mental Health

Workplace bullying takes a toll. Anxiety, disrupted sleep, loss of confidence, and reluctance to go to work are all common responses to sustained poor treatment. Your mental health deserves attention alongside the practical steps you are taking.

If you are struggling, please reach out. Samaritans are available any time, day or night, on 116 123. You do not have to be in crisis to call; they are there for anyone who is finding things difficult. Mind offers mental health information and support and can be reached on 0300 123 3393. Your GP can also refer you to talking therapies if you are experiencing anxiety or depression related to your situation at work.

Citizens Advice can offer guidance on your employment rights, particularly if you are unsure whether your situation warrants legal action, are facing dismissal, or need help understanding documents from your employer. Their service is free and available online, by phone, and in person.

Thinking About Leaving

Sometimes people leave a job because the bullying is intolerable or because the employer fails to address it effectively. If you are considering leaving, try to do so in a way that protects your legal position. Seek advice before you resign, because resigning without exhausting your internal options can weaken a potential constructive dismissal claim. Think about timing in relation to your notice period, any benefits, and references.

Leaving a job because of bullying is not failure. Knowing when a situation is not going to change and choosing yourself over an employer who has not protected you is a courageous and often very sensible decision. But do it on your terms, with as much information as possible, so that you walk away in the strongest position.

You Have the Right to Be Treated With Dignity

Regardless of your age, your experience, or your place in a hierarchy, you have the right to go to work without being belittled, humiliated, or undermined. You are not being oversensitive. You are not causing drama. You are recognising something that is wrong and trying to work out what to do about it. That is exactly the right response.

Document what is happening, seek advice, and use the support available to you. The organisations and processes described in this guide exist because workplace bullying is a recognised harm that society has decided needs to be taken seriously. You deserve to have it taken seriously too.