Posted on November 7th, 2025

By Donna Paige Riley, Master-Level Etiquette and Leadership Trainer and Coach

In my last post, I spoke about bullying among students. I also mentioned how it can follow us from the classroom to the boardroom.

Since then, two women reached out to me asking, “What does bullying in the workplace really look like?” and shared their own painful experiences.

One told me about being sexually harassed. When she reported it, she was dismissed because the man had been with the company for 30 years and “no one else had complained.”

Another described being deliberately overloaded with work at the end of the day and threatened that everything had to be turned in before she could leave. She said the tasks could have been assigned earlier, but this daily habit feels intentional and punishing.

Both stories are examples of workplace bullying. It does not always look the same. Sometimes it is harassment. Sometimes it is intimidation. Sometimes it is manipulation of time and workload.
But the impact is always the same. It harms, it silences, and it pushes good employees out.

I know this, because I have also experienced sexual harassment and other types of corporate bullying in the workplace. That is why, through my Grace, Etiquette & Success™: Navigating Workplace Dynamics coaching program and workshops, I not only teach strategies for handling difficult situations—I also share my own personal story, so others know they are not alone.

💡 For those who have been in similar situations, how did you find the courage to address it? What advice would you share with someone trying to speak up now?