A witch hunt in the context of work refers to a situation in which an individual or a group of individuals are unfairly targeted and persecuted within their workplace. The term is derived from historical witch trials, in which individuals were accused, without substantial evidence, of practicing witchcraft and were subjected to severe punishment. In a work setting, a witch hunt typically involves spreading rumors, initiating investigations, or conducting inquiries with the intent of finding fault or scapegoating someone. This can lead to a toxic environment, where trust is eroded, and individuals feel unsafe and anxious about their position within the organization. The reasons behind a witch hunt at work can vary. It may be due to personal vendettas, power struggles, or an attempt to divert attention from other issues or failures within the organization.
Is a Workplace Witch Hunt the New and Accepted Form of Employee Bullying?
These thoughts and opinions are my own, derived from a neurodiversity, equity, inclusion, and culture perspective. I’ll share what a witch hunt in the workplace is, why identifying this behavior matters, and how to nurture a culture where toxic attitudes and actions are as minimal as possible. I feel very fortunate to work in a culture that encourages creativity and open lines of communication no matter our backgrounds, thoughts, opinions, and abilities and I am excited to share three things anyone can do to make a safe space for everyone to thrive.
This article was inspired by a close connection of mine who has had their career placed in jeopardy because of their unique personality and a mixture of toxic behaviors within their team. Although they have not given me permission to release details, they welcomed a piece that highlights what to do instead of what not to do and the importance of understanding neurodiversity within corporate cultures.
If you’ve been in the workforce long enough, you have become all too familiar with the power of numbers. While the power in numbers can be used for good, such as labor unions organizing fair wages, benefits, and environments, similar groupings designed through negativity, hate or jealousy can quickly destroy morale and a culture where employees thrive.
It’s so common in human nature that nearly everyone can think back to a time when they were the black sheep, the odd duck, or the outsider because of a group of individuals that designed a “community” against them for some reason or another. I vividly remember certain circumstances, big and small, that shaped the very person I am today… like the time when our middle school bully with the same name as me (although spelled differently) decided she didn’t want another “Chantel” around, so she influenced nearly the entire school bus to chew bubble gum and stick it in my hair or on my hand-me-down winter coat before I could get off at my stop.
As our culture continues to be shaped and molded by technology to promote community engagement, psychologists continue to try to understand the habitual and learned behaviors that cause turmoil or triumph in groups. Community Psychology wasn’t even a phrase or field of study until the 1960s and continues to garner interest from specialists across the globe.
It may be due to personal vendettas, power struggles, or an attempt to divert attention from other issues or failures within the organization. Whatever the reason, it is important to recognize that a witch hunt is a form of harassment and can seriously impact the well-being and productivity of those targeted. The consequences of a workplace witch hunt can be detrimental both to the individuals involved and to the organization as a whole.
What is a witch hunt in the workplace?
Cancel culture, is defined as “a form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles – whether it be online, on social media, or in person.” When a group of people is organized together in a community fueled by emotions, “canceling” an individual is effective and efficient. This has been instrumental in social justice issues and pushing political viewpoints.
“Canceling is a way to acknowledge that you don’t have to have the power to change structural inequality,” Charity Hudley said. “You don’t even have to have the power to change all of public sentiment. But as an individual, you can still have power beyond measure. When you see people canceling Kanye, canceling other people, it’s a collective way of saying, ‘We elevated your social status, your economic prowess, [and] we’re not going to pay attention to you in the way that we once did. . ‘I may have no power, but the power I have is to [ignore] you.’”
A witch hunt in the workplace is different.
It’s not based on righteous arguments created with compassion and positivity for a hopeful change. Instead, it is a systemized way of banding people together against someone for little reason other than simply not liking the person’s personality, beliefs, or opinions. It feels like modern-day, adult bullying where people professionally unite to get rid of someone in the workplace.
This type of behavior is often unintentionally enabled in workplaces that promote respect and inclusion because dedicated human resources departments feel compelled to act in response to grievances/complaints to reflect a commitment to zero-tolerance policies. However, these policies neglect the importance or acknowledgment of inclusion and neurodiversity as well as the importance of teaching what this means in the workplace.
Neurodiversity and disability are often unrecognized in DEI programs or at best, they are thrown in as an afterthought. Around 20% of the world’s population identify as being neurodivergent with behaviors that can appear unique or even inappropriate, such as a lack of eye contact during conversation, a louder tone of voice, or an inability to stand still during certain conversations. With diagnoses occurring later and later in life around the world of neurodiversity, it is becoming more prevalent than historical benchmarks present. For the sake of awareness, here are some statistics on neurodiversity in the workplace:
- Neurodiversity by Gender: Men present more neurodiversity than women worldwide.
- Special Abilities: Research shows that conditions such as autism and dyslexia can bestow special skills in pattern recognition, memory, or mathematics.
- Intelligence: Autism presents higher IQ scores than average.
- Work Performance: studies found that neurodiverse teams are 30% more productive than neurotypical ones and made fewer errors.
- Employment: neurodiverse people are more likely to be unemployed than people with any other disability. Unemployment for neurodivergent adults runs at least as high as 30-40% which is three times the rate for people with disability, and eight times the rate for people without disabilities.
When you have a neurodiverse professional in a leadership position, training, awareness and culture become a critical part of creating a safe space for teams to learn and grow. Employees that feel threatened by a Team Lead or Manager can often act out and band together to get them fired in the hopes that things would be better with someone else in the leadership position. However, given the time monitoring these groups and behaviors, you can realize it is specific individuals (or the culture) that enables this destructive behavior, despite the leader taking their role seriously.
It can lead to a decrease in morale, team cohesion, and overall productivity. Employees who are targeted may experience stress, anxiety, and even health problems as a result of the ongoing harassment and pressure they face. To address a witch hunt at work, it is crucial for leaders and managers to establish an inclusive, fair, and transparent work environment. Regular communication, clear expectations, and a zero-tolerance policy for harassment are essential. Additionally, fostering a culture of respect, openness, and collaboration can help prevent such situations from occurring. If a witch hunt does arise, it is important for targeted individuals to seek support from their colleagues, managers, or human resources department. Documenting incidents, addressing concerns with superiors, and seeking legal advice if necessary, are all steps that individuals can take to protect themselves and ensure their rights are upheld. In conclusion, a workplace witch hunt involves the unjust and targeted persecution of individuals within a professional environment. Such situations can have serious consequences on the well-being of those involved and the overall functioning of the organization. It is crucial for organizations to create a culture that promotes fairness, inclusivity, and respect to prevent and address workplace witch hunts..
Reviews for "Unmasking the Hidden Dangers of Workplace Witch Hunts"
1. John - 1 star: I found the book "Witch Hunt Meaning at Work" to be incredibly biased and one-sided. The author only focused on highlighting cases where innocent employees were falsely accused and ignored the fact that witch hunts do exist in some workplaces. The book failed to provide a balanced perspective and failed to offer any solutions or strategies for dealing with potential witch hunts. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of depth and objectivity in this book.
2. Sarah - 2 stars: "Witch Hunt Meaning at Work" was not what I expected. The book seemed to spend more time blaming management and portraying all workplace investigations as witch hunts, rather than providing useful information on how to recognize and handle real cases of unjust accusations at work. The author's approach felt overly dramatic and exaggerated, making it difficult to take the book seriously. I was hoping for a more practical and informative guide, but I was left disappointed.
3. Mike - 1 star: I found "Witch Hunt Meaning at Work" to be a poorly researched and poorly written book. The author seemed to rely on anecdotal evidence rather than conducting thorough research to support their claims. The book lacked depth and failed to provide any real insight into the topic of workplace witch hunts. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time reading this book, and I cannot recommend it to others.
4. Emily - 2 stars: The book "Witch Hunt Meaning at Work" failed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the topic. The author focused too much on personal stories without delving into the underlying reasons behind workplace witch hunts. The lack of a systemic approach made it difficult to draw any meaningful conclusions or takeaways from the book. I was hoping for a more in-depth exploration of the issue, but I was left dissatisfied with the superficial treatment it received in this book.