Leading Through Hidden Psychological Violence: Lifting the Veil

Understanding Psychological Violence in Organizations

Organizations often present an image of efficiency and professionalism, yet beneath the surface, unseen forces shape the experiences of employees. Psychological violence, concealed behind managerial rhetoric and normalized corporate practices, influences workplace dynamics in ways that may not be immediately recognized. Just as lifting a veil reveals underlying realities, leaders must acknowledge and address these hidden challenges to foster psychological safety and ethical leadership.

A staggering 74.7% of healthcare professionals reported experiencing psychological violence in the workplace within a single year (Fallahi Khoshknab et al., 2015). Psychological violence extends beyond overt bullying; it is embedded in structures that promote overwork, silent exclusion, and unattainable performance expectations. The World Health Organization (2020) estimates that depression and anxiety disorders linked to workplace conditions cost the global economy $1 trillion USD annually in lost productivity.

Psychological violence manifests in various ways, including:

• Manipulative managerial discourse that frames coercive practices as "high-performance culture" (Böhm & Pascucci, 2020).
• Workplace exclusion, where dissenting voices are silenced, sidelined, or ignored (Phipps, 2020).
• Excessive performance pressure, which creates unsustainable workloads and chronic stress (Dahl & Pierce, 2020).

The Role of Leadership in Breaking the Cycle

Addressing psychological violence requires a leadership approach that prioritizes awareness, ethical decision-making, and accountability. Leaders must move beyond superficial solutions and actively create environments that prevent harm and encourage psychological safety.

Key aspects of mindful leadership include:

• Recognizing Hidden Dynamics – Identifying where power imbalances and toxic managerial discourse contribute to harm (Cosgrove & Karter, 2018).
• Fostering Psychological Safety – Encouraging open dialogue where employees can express concerns without fear of retaliation (Edmondson, 2019).
• Challenging Harmful Norms – Resisting the assumption that excessive workloads or high stress are markers of commitment and success (Safe Work Australia, 2022).
• Implementing Mindful Practices – Developing self-awareness to prevent unintentional harm and cultivate ethical leadership (King & Badham, 2020).

Solutions for Leaders

Leaders can take concrete steps to address hidden workplace harm and create a culture of trust and well-being:

• Mindful Reflection: A Harvard Business Review study found that self-aware leaders create organizations that are 32% more productive (Goleman, 2018). Leaders should evaluate their influence and decision-making impact on employee well-being (Reb, Narayanan, & Chaturvedi, 2014).
• Transparent Communication: Employees who feel heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work (Gallup, 2021). Encouraging honest and accountable leadership prevents the normalization of harmful behaviors (Rooney et al., 2021).
• Workplace Culture Audits: Conducting regular assessments helps identify stressors and barriers to employee engagement. Research indicates that organizations with strong psychological safety reduce turnover by 27% (ISO, 2021).
• Ethical Leadership Development: Providing training to equip managers with the skills to foster a culture of support rather than coercion (King, Norbury, & Rooney, 2020).

Lifting the veil of psychological violence allows organizations to move beyond performance metrics and corporate narratives to create workplaces where employees thrive. Integrating mindful leadership principles leads to cultures of trust, innovation, and ethical decision-making.

When we lift the veil we expose the realities of workplace psychological violence and pave the way for a more just and sustainable organizational culture.

See our Mindful Leadership Competency Matrix for more about mindful leadership in the workplace.

References

• Böhm, S., & Pascucci, S. (2020). It’s not just about the mafia! Conceptualizing business–society relations of organized violence. Academy of Management Perspectives, 34(4), 546–565.
• Cosgrove, L., & Karter, J. M. (2018). The poison in the cure: Neoliberalism and contemporary movements in mental health. Theory & Psychology, 28(5), 669–683.
• Dahl, M. S., & Pierce, L. (2020). Pay-for-performance and employee mental health: Large sample evidence using employee prescription drug usage. Academy of Management Discoveries, 6(1), 12–38.
• Edmondson, A. C. (2019). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley.
• Fallahi Khoshknab, M., et al. (2015). Psychological violence in health care settings in Iran: A cross-sectional study. Nursing and Midwifery Studies, 4(1), e24320.
• Goleman, D. (2018). Harvard Business Review: Self-aware leadership and performance productivity.
• Gallup (2021). The state of the American workplace: Employee engagement and performance outcomes.
• ISO (2021). ISO 45003:2021 – Occupational health and safety management – Psychological health and safety at work – Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks. International Organization for Standardization.
• King, E., & Badham, R. (2020). The wheel of mindfulness: A generative framework for second-generation mindful leadership. Mindfulness, 11(1), 166-176.
• King, E., Norbury, K., & Rooney, D. (2020). Coaching for leadership wisdom. Organizational Dynamics, 49(1), 100815.
• Reb, J., Narayanan, J., & Chaturvedi, S. (2014). Leading mindfully: Two studies on the influence of mindfulness on leadership effectiveness and employee well-being. Mindfulness, 5(1), 36–45.
• Rooney, D., Küpers, W., Pauleen, D., & Zhuravleva, E. (2021). A developmental model for educating wise leaders: The role of mindfulness and habitus in creating time for embodying wisdom. Journal of Business Ethics, 170(1), 181–194.
• Safe Work Australia (2022). Model code of practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work. Safe Work Australia.

• World Health Organization (WHO) (2020). Mental health at work: Policy brief. WHO and International Labour Organization.