It often begins subtly. A sarcastic comment in a team meeting that feels a bit too personal. The consistent ‘forgetting’ to include you in a crucial email chain.
That distinct, cold feeling of being on the outside of an inside joke. This isn’t your typical top-down management issue; it’s a destructive force that moves sideways, a hidden battle between colleagues on the same level.
There’s a name for this toxic dynamic: lateral violence. It’s the unnamed conflict quietly damaging team morale and individual careers, and it’s time to understand exactly what it is and how to face it.
What are the Common Examples of Lateral Violence?
Recognising lateral violence is the first step toward addressing it because it often operates in the shadows. The behaviour isn’t always a loud confrontation; in fact, its power frequently lies in its subtlety.
Understanding the meaning of lateral violence involves knowing its different forms, which range from easily dismissed actions to openly hostile ones.
These are key examples of lateral violence to watch out for:
- Covert (Hidden) Behaviours: This is the most common form. It’s the type of behaviour that makes you question your own perceptions. It includes:
- Exclusion and Ostracism: Purposefully leaving a colleague out of team lunches, social chats, or important work-related conversations. This silent treatment is designed to isolate the person, making them feel worthless and invisible.
- Withholding Information: Intentionally failing to share necessary data, updates, or resources that a colleague needs to perform their job. This is a form of sabotage that sets the target up for failure.
- Gossip and Rumours: Spreading malicious stories or half-truths to damage a peer’s reputation and relationships at work. This erodes trust within the entire team, not just for the person being targeted.
- Undermining and Belittling: Making passive-aggressive remarks, using a condescending tone, or constantly downplaying a colleague’s achievements, often in front of others. This directly attacks a person’s confidence.
- Overt (Obvious) Behaviours: While less common, these actions are unmistakable and directly aggressive. They fit the clearest definition of lateral violence as peer-to-peer hostility.
- Verbal Abuse: Yelling, shouting, or using insulting and unprofessional language towards a colleague.
- Public Humiliation: Openly criticising or shaming a peer’s work or ideas during a meeting to embarrass them.
- Intimidation: Using threatening body language, invading personal space, or making veiled threats to create a climate of fear.
The answer to “What is lateral violence?” is found in these patterns. It’s not a one-off bad day; it is repeated, targeted behaviour from a peer that makes the workplace feel unsafe and hostile.
What are Your Rights Under Singapore Law Against Lateral Violence?
If you are experiencing these behaviours, you are not powerless. Singapore’s legal framework offers robust protection, even if the term “lateral violence” isn’t explicitly used in legislation. The key is to understand that the specific harmful actions are what the law addresses.
The Protection from Harassment Act (POHA)
This is your most important legal tool. The Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) makes it illegal for anyone to use threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour to cause another person harassment, alarm, or distress. Many examples of lateral violence, such as verbal abuse, spreading malicious falsehoods, or cyberbullying through work channels, fall directly under POHA’s protection.
What You Can Do: Under POHA, you can apply to the Court for a Protection Order, which can legally stop the harasser from continuing their behaviour. You can also seek civil damages for emotional distress and financial losses.
Employer’s Duty of Care
Your employer has a legal and ethical responsibility to provide a safe working environment. The Ministry of Manpower, along with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), has established clear guidelines for preventing and managing workplace harassment.
You should:
- Document Everything: Keep a detailed, confidential log of every incident. Note the date, time, location, what happened, what was said, and who was present. Save any harassing emails or messages. This evidence is crucial for both internal HR processes and any potential Court proceedings.
- Report Internally: Use your company’s formal grievance or whistle-blowing channels to report the behaviour to your manager or HR department.
Conclusion About the Meaning of Lateral Violence
Understanding what lateral violence is helps to identify and address it. It is not simple workplace politics; it is a harmful pattern that can destroy careers and personal well-being, even touching upon matters as serious as Divorce or other personal disputes when work stress spills over. Creating a respectful and safe workplace is everyone’s responsibility.
If you are facing harassment at work that is affecting your life and career, you do not have to handle it alone. For expert guidance on your legal options, connect with Tembusu Law, home to some of the best corporate lawyers and criminal lawyers in Singapore, to understand and protect your rights.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Meaning of Lateral Violence
What Is The Main Difference Between Bullying And Lateral Violence?
Bullying can occur in any direction, such as from a manager to a subordinate (downwards) or an employee to a manager (upwards). Lateral violence specifically describes hostile or aggressive behaviour between peers who are at the same hierarchical level within an organisation.
Is Gossiping At Work Considered A Form Of Lateral Violence?
Yes, gossiping can be a key example of covert lateral violence. It undermines a colleague’s reputation, isolates them, and creates a toxic work environment. While it may seem minor, it is a deliberate act that harms relationships between peers.
Can I Take Legal Action For Lateral Violence In Singapore?
While you cannot file a claim for “lateral violence” itself, the specific actions (like threatening words, stalking, or spreading false information) are often covered under the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA). You may be able to file for a Protection Order in Court.
What Should I Do If I Am Experiencing Lateral Violence?
First, document everything. Keep a record of dates, times, what happened, and who was present. Report the behaviour to your manager or Human Resources department, following your company’s internal grievance procedures. If the situation is not resolved or is very serious, you can seek legal advice.
How Does Lateral Violence Affect A Company?
It has a deeply negative impact. It leads to low morale, high employee turnover, reduced productivity, and a breakdown in teamwork and communication. It prevents a collaborative and innovative culture from thriving, which ultimately affects the company’s success.
