The Hidden Types of Workplace Violence You Need to Know in 2025
Workplace violence has evolved far beyond traditional physical confrontations, transforming into complex types of workplace violence that many organizations fail to recognize. While security cameras and badge access systems protect against visible threats, hidden forms of violence are infiltrating both physical and digital workspaces at an alarming rate.
However, understanding these emerging threats is crucial for workplace safety in 2025. From cyberbullying among remote teams to AI-related conflicts, violence prevention requires a fresh perspective on what constitutes harmful behavior. This comprehensive guide examines both traditional and newly emerging forms of workplace violence, equipping you with the knowledge to protect your employees in today’s rapidly changing work environment.
Traditional Workplace Violence Types Still Relevant Today
Despite advances in workplace safety, traditional forms of violence remain alarmingly common in American workplaces. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workplace homicides claimed 454 lives in 2019, and though this represents a 58% decline from the peak of 1,080 in 1994, recent years have seen an 11% increase from 2014 to 2019 [1]. Understanding these enduring types of workplace violence is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
Physical violence and assault
Physical workplace violence encompasses actions ranging from pushing and hitting to fatal assaults. In 2022, workplace assaults resulted in 57,610 injuries and 525 fatalities [2]. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data reveals that of those experiencing trauma from workplace violence, 22% required 31 or more days away from work to recover [3].
Men face higher risks of fatal workplace violence, comprising 81% of workplace homicide victims [3]. Meanwhile, women experience higher rates of non-fatal workplace violence, accounting for 73% of workers suffering trauma from such incidents [3]. Most concerning, female employees had higher rates (5.1 cases per 10,000 full-time equivalent workers) than males (2.3 per 10,000) of injuries due to workplace violence resulting in missed work [1].
Certain occupations carry significantly higher risks. Taxi drivers, for instance, are more than 20 times more likely to be murdered on the job than other workers [2]. Additionally, workers in sales, protective services, and transportation face greater risk for fatal violence, whereas healthcare and social assistance workers experience the highest rates of non-fatal violence [3].
Verbal threats and intimidation
Verbal abuse and intimidation represent some of the most prevalent yet often overlooked types of workplace violence. These behaviors include:
- Verbal assault and threats
- Negative criticism and ridicule
- Constant yelling, shouting, or swearing
- Belittling comments and name-calling
The impact of verbal abuse extends beyond momentary discomfort. It can lead to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even suicidal thoughts in victims [4]. Furthermore, verbal abuse often serves as a precursor to physical violence, making early intervention essential [4].
Warning signs of potential escalation include dramatic changes in work habits, argumentative or suspicious behavior, deterioration in social relationships, emotional expressions that don’t fit the context, and noticeable decline in personal grooming [5]. Organizations that establish a zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of workplace violence create an important foundation for prevention [2].
Customer/client confrontations
Customer-facing workers increasingly face hostility and violence. According to an Usdaw survey, 7 in 10 retail workers have suffered abuse from customers [6]. This trend worsened dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the average retail worker being threatened, assaulted, or abused once every 6.5 days during the first lockdown in 2020 [7].
The healthcare sector faces particularly severe challenges. Among healthcare workers, frequently experienced workplace bullying behaviors included being assigned an unmanageable workload (62%), being ignored by others (35%), coworkers withholding information needed for clinical care (28%), and being humiliated or ridiculed (22%) [8].
Effective prevention requires a multi-faceted approach. Organizations should provide training on recognizing and responding to potentially violent situations [9]. Early intervention is crucial and requires acknowledging customer concerns before requesting compliance [9]. Additionally, technologies like panic alarm software can help protect staff in customer-facing roles [6].
Importantly, employers must explicitly communicate that they support employees facing abusive customers. As one expert notes, "The customer is not always right, and when they are abusive, the employee has the right to say, ‘I will not be treated like that’" [9]. Regular check-ins with frontline staff about unpleasant customer experiences also help protect employee well-being and retention [9].
The Digital Evolution of Workplace Harassment
As workplace interactions increasingly shift to digital platforms, new forms of harassment have emerged. The frequency of cyberbullying rose by 57% from 2017 to 2022, with 31% of the US workforce experiencing some form of online bullying [10]. These digital manifestations of workplace violence create unique challenges for both employers and employees.
Cyberbullying among colleagues
Digital workplace harassment takes various forms, from offensive emails to anonymous messages attacking a colleague’s work performance. Cyberbullying includes spreading rumors, making false allegations, and sending belligerent texts—actions amplified by the perceived anonymity of digital platforms [11].
Notably, workplace cyberbullying is defined as "repeated, health-harming mistreatment by one or more employees of an employee: abusive conduct that takes the form of verbal abuse; or behaviors perceived as threatening, intimidating, or humiliating; work sabotage" [12]. Unlike traditional workplace bullying, cyberbullying can occur 24/7, with perpetrators able to reach victims anywhere, anytime [13].
The consequences are severe—victims often experience increased stress, anxiety, and decreased job productivity [14]. In fact, approximately 50% of cyberbullying incidents happen during online meetings, with 19% of workers reporting having witnessed it and 49% reporting being affected by it [13].
Virtual meeting misconduct
Virtual meeting platforms have created new opportunities for workplace harassment. Common forms include inappropriate comments in chat boxes, disruptive behavior such as using offensive backgrounds, and deliberately interrupting speakers [14].
Consider Julie’s experience: during an important Zoom meeting, her screen filled with comments like "You talk like a parrot" and "Your presentation is so basic" from an anonymous user [14]. This type of misconduct undermines professionalism and creates a hostile environment, even in remote settings.
The EEOC’s recently updated guidance specifically acknowledges this reality, clarifying how harassment manifests in virtual settings and emphasizing that employers remain responsible for preventing and addressing harassment in virtual work environments [15].
Digital surveillance as harassment
Employee monitoring has become increasingly common, with about 80% of companies in the United States monitoring their employees through email tracking, GPS monitoring, or surveillance cameras [3]. While organizations argue this enhances security and productivity, excessive monitoring can become a form of harassment.
A study by the Ponemon Institute revealed that 53% of employees felt that being monitored at work made them feel anxious or stressed [3]. Similarly, research from the Pew Research Center found that 56% of employees believe workplace monitoring creates distrust, leading to decreased job satisfaction [3].
When monitoring becomes invasive—such as tracking personal devices without consent or obsessively monitoring off-duty activities—it crosses into harassment territory. Ethical workplace monitoring requires transparency about what data is collected, how it will be used, and who can access it [1].
Social media targeting
Social media has blurred the lines between professional and personal life, creating new avenues for workplace harassment. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that companies can be held liable for hostile work environment claims if an employee shares harassing content on their personal social media that impacts the workplace [2].
In Okonowsky v. Garland, the court rejected "the notion that only conduct that occurs inside the physical workplace can be actionable, especially in light of the ubiquity of social media and the ready use of it to harass and bully both inside and outside of the physical workplace" [16]. This landmark decision acknowledges that "social media posts are permanently and infinitely viewable" with consequences that extend into the workplace [2].
Consequently, employers must develop clear social media policies that explicitly prohibit content potentially seen as bullying, discriminatory, or harassing, even when posted on personal accounts [17]. Without such preventative measures, the digital evolution of workplace harassment will continue to threaten employee wellbeing.
Remote Work Violence: The Invisible Frontier
Remote work environments create entirely new frontiers for workplace violence, with risks that often go unrecognized. The transition to work-from-home arrangements has introduced unique safety challenges that extend beyond traditional workplace violence categories, requiring fresh approaches to employee protection.
Home office safety concerns
Physical safety hazards in home offices present genuine concerns that many organizations overlook. Common risks include slips and falls, which remain one of the most prevalent causes of workplace injuries [18]. When these accidents occur during work hours—even at home—they may be considered work-related incidents [18].
Electrical safety presents another significant risk, primarily due to overloaded circuits, frayed cords, or improper grounding in residential settings [5]. Moreover, home workspace ergonomics affect long-term health, with improper setup leading to repetitive strain injuries that can have lasting impacts on employee wellbeing [18].
To address these concerns, employers should encourage workers to:
- Place computer screens at arm’s length with the top third at eye level
- Ensure proper chair adjustment with feet flat on floor and lower back supported
- Remove tripping hazards like loose cords
- Maintain adequate lighting for close-up tasks [18]
Digital boundary violations
The collapse of boundaries between professional and personal life represents a substantial yet often invisible form of workplace violence. Research indicates that remote workers frequently experience boundary violations that can lead to psychological harm [4]. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified these issues as digital workplace platforms enabled greater permeability between work and home [4].
Excessive communication expectations create situations where employees feel tethered to their devices regardless of time or day [19]. These boundary violations manifest through constant connectivity requirements, inability to unplug from work communications, and neglect of personal responsibilities [19].
Organizations that monitor employees’ digital activities introduce additional concerns. Approximately 80% of U.S. companies now track employee activities through email monitoring, GPS tracking, or surveillance [20], with 53% of monitored employees reporting increased anxiety or stress [21].
Isolation as a vulnerability factor
Workplace isolation emerges as a critical vulnerability factor in remote work environments. Research shows that isolation can increase the likelihood of heart attack or stroke by approximately 30% [22], demonstrating its serious physical health implications.
Furthermore, isolation functions as both a precursor to and consequence of workplace violence. Isolated employees often experience unfair treatment, including unequal development opportunities and promotion prospects [9]. This treatment frequently leads to disappointment, negative thoughts, and increased work fatigue [9].
The psychological impacts are equally concerning—workplace isolation threatens fundamental needs for belonging, self-esteem, control, and meaningful existence [9]. Without these basic needs fulfilled, employees experience heightened vulnerability to workplace violence and diminished ability to respond effectively when incidents occur.
Essentially, remote work’s invisible frontier requires recognition that violence prevention extends beyond physical safety to encompass psychological wellbeing and boundary protection in increasingly blurred work-life environments.
Industry-Specific Violence Trends for 2025
Each industry faces unique workplace violence challenges that continue to evolve through 2025. Understanding these sector-specific trends is vital for effective violence prevention strategies.
Healthcare sector challenges
Healthcare workers face extraordinarily high risks of workplace violence in 2025. The sector experiences more than four times the violence-related injuries compared to all other industries combined [6]. Recent data shows that an alarming 8 in 10 nurses experience violence at work [7], with up to 13% reporting workplace harassment in 2022—more than double the 6% reported in 2018 [23].
Healthcare violence predominantly stems from patients experiencing conditions like dementia, delirium, psychosis, or pain [23]. Nevertheless, the psychological impact extends beyond physical injuries, contributing to burnout among 55% of healthcare workers and driving 18% of newly licensed nurses to leave the profession within their first year [7].
Retail and service industry patterns
Retail violence reached unprecedented levels in 2025, with over 300 workers killed on the job—the highest recorded number in at least five years [24]. Violent acts accounted for 40% of all workplace fatalities in the sector [24]. Furthermore, retailers reported a staggering 93% increase in shoplifting incidents since 2019, with a corresponding 90% rise in financial losses [25].
Type 1 violence (perpetrated by those with no legitimate business at the worksite) primarily affects retail workers who handle cash transactions, work alone, or during early morning/late hours [26]. Currently, 60% of retail survey respondents witnessed workplace violence within their company in the past year [27].
Technology workplace tensions
Tech workplace conflicts stem from three primary sources in 2025: technical disagreements over project direction, personality clashes within diverse teams, and communication issues in remote/hybrid arrangements [28]. Primarily, these tensions manifest as burnout-related conflicts, with approximately 26% of UK tech employees reporting that differing attitudes toward technology create workplace friction [8].
Although overall tech employment continues growing, rapid industry changes have created instability. The clumsy, often brutal layoff methods observed in the sector dramatize workplace tensions [29]. Cross-cultural misunderstandings in global teams further complicate matters, with 80% of participants citing different levels of technology familiarity as a primary cause of conflict [8].
Emerging Workplace Violence Categories
Beyond traditional and digital forms of workplace violence, 2025 has witnessed the emergence of entirely new categories that require immediate attention from organizations worldwide. These evolving types of workplace violence reflect broader societal shifts and technological changes.
AI-related workplace conflicts
Artificial intelligence has introduced unprecedented workplace tensions. Evidently, 43% of senior leaders report losing employees due to bias in algorithms [30]. Employees typically perceive AI-delivered decisions as less moral or fair than human-made ones, creating resistance and conflict when AI systems make consequential workplace decisions [30].
Paradoxically, Cornell University researchers discovered humans often trust AI systems more than actual people when navigating difficult conversations [31]. This contradiction underscores the complex psychological dynamics at play in human-AI workplace interactions, where AI simultaneously generates and potentially resolves conflicts.
Environmental stress-induced violence
Climate change has emerged as a significant driver of workplace violence. By 2030, a projected 1.5°C increase in global temperature will render 2% of all work hours too hot for safe productivity [32]. This environmental stress manifests in:
- Weakened cognitive function leading to poor decision-making
- Increased risk of injuries and safety lapses
- Heightened irritability and reduced impulse control
- Physiological strain affecting emotional regulation
Research consistently shows occupational stress from environmental factors negatively influences sustainable work performance and can trigger workplace violence [33]. Initially subtle, these climate-related stressors progressively undermine workplace safety as extreme weather patterns intensify.
Cross-cultural misunderstandings in global teams
With 89% of white-collar workers occasionally completing projects in global virtual teams [34], cross-cultural conflicts have become unavoidable. Correspondingly, studies reveal 60% of conflicts in multinational teams stem directly from cultural differences [35].
A telling case involved American software developers expecting project completion within weeks while their Indian counterparts estimated months—differences that escalated into personal conflicts affecting all communication [36]. Nonetheless, organizations implementing effective cultural conflict resolution strategies report 30% higher employee satisfaction and productivity levels [35].
Undoubtedly, these emerging categories of workplace violence present unique challenges requiring specialized prevention approaches focused on cultural intelligence, environmental adaptation, and ethical AI governance.
Conclusion
Workplace violence continues evolving rapidly, demanding heightened awareness and proactive prevention strategies. Traditional physical confrontations remain significant threats, while digital harassment through cyberbullying and virtual meeting misconduct creates new challenges for organizations. Remote work environments present unique vulnerabilities, particularly through isolation and boundary violations.
Healthcare workers face extraordinary risks, with violence rates four times higher than other industries. Retail sectors struggle with unprecedented levels of customer confrontations, while tech workplaces navigate tensions from AI implementation and cross-cultural misunderstandings. Environmental stress-induced violence adds another layer of complexity to workplace safety concerns.
Above all, organizations must recognize that workplace violence prevention requires a comprehensive approach addressing both visible and hidden threats. Successful violence prevention strategies should combine traditional security measures with modern solutions for digital harassment, remote work safety, and emerging AI-related conflicts. Companies that adapt their safety protocols to address these evolving threats will create safer workplaces for their employees in 2025 and beyond.
References
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