A Debate about the Vehicle and the Road: Systemic Roots of Workplace Bullying

Catalyst Center for Work Innovation: The Debate · Oct 4, 2026 · 23m

Workplace bullying is extensively examined not merely as an issue of isolated bad actors, but as a systemic failure driven by toxic organizational infrastructure. Rather than focusing solely on removing individual perpetrators, the text argues that companies must address structural conditions such as unchecked power imbalances, institutional silence, and poor complaint-response mechanisms. Research demonstrates that mistreatment severely damages mental health and organizational performance, leading to widespread psychological distress, high turnover rates, and massive financial losses. To…