Understanding Workplace Bullying Through the Power and Control Wheel

Dr. Hannah Scott adapted the wheel from intimate partner violence.

Workplace bullying is a pervasive issue that often goes unrecognized, leaving employees struggling to name their experiences and seek help. A powerful tool that can assist in identifying these behaviors is the Power and Control Wheel, originally developed to help survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) articulate their abuse. This model, adapted for the workplace by Dr. Hannah Scott, reveals how similar tactics are used to exert power and control over employees.

The Origins of the Power and Control Wheel

The Power and Control Wheel was initially designed in Duluth, Minnesota, as a way for IPV survivors to explain the nature of their abuse to courts and officials. The women who contributed to its creation emphasized that abuse wasn’t solely about physical violence but rather the persistent emotional, financial, and psychological control exercised over them. These same abusive techniques can be found in workplace settings, creating a hostile and manipulative work environment.

Tactics Used in Workplace Bullying

The Power and Control Wheel for workplace bullying, adapted by Dr. Hannah Scott, identifies several key tactics used by abusive employers or coworkers to manipulate, intimidate, and control employees:

1. Using Intimidation

Employers may employ covert tactics such as silent intimidation, prolonged staring, or using specific words only the targeted employee understands to exert control. They might slam objects or invade personal space in ways that appear innocuous to outsiders but create a threatening environment for the target.

2. Using Emotional Abuse

Workplace bullies belittle employees, question their competence, or engage in "crazy-making" behavior that keeps them off balance. This unpredictability can lead to anxiety, stress, and even physical symptoms like nausea.

3. Using Isolation

Bullied employees may be excluded from meetings, social gatherings, or important discussions, making them feel alienated. Deliberate withholding of information needed to complete tasks can further set them up for failure.

4. Minimizing, Denying, and Blaming

Employers may downplay concerns, deny wrongdoing, or shift blame onto the employee. For example, a nurse assigned difficult patients as a form of retaliation might be dismissed as "always complaining" when they speak up.

5. Using Others (Mobbing)

Abusive employers can manipulate coworkers into participating in bullying, whether through peer pressure, misinformation, or fear of retaliation. This behavior creates a toxic work environment where coworkers turn against each other.

6. Using Employee Privilege

Employers may exploit their authority by making unreasonable demands, changing job conditions arbitrarily, or assigning demeaning tasks outside an employee’s job description. These actions reinforce a power imbalance and keep employees in a state of uncertainty.

7. Using Economic Abuse

Withholding pay, delaying payments under vague pretexts, or threatening job loss for non-compliance are common tactics used to financially control employees. This practice is particularly prevalent in industries where job opportunities are scarce.

8. Using Coercion and Threats

Public humiliation, verbal threats, or hostile emails—often with witnesses present—are used to instill fear and maintain dominance over employees.

The Role of Physical and Sexual Abuse

While physical and sexual abuse are less common in workplace settings, they do occur, particularly in industries like construction and healthcare. More frequently, the threat of escalation reinforces other forms of abuse, keeping employees in a state of fear and compliance.

Breaking the Cycle of Workplace Abuse

One of the most crucial aspects of the Power and Control Wheel is its ability to help employees identify and document patterns of abuse. Recognizing these behaviors allows employees to:

• Validate their experiences and understand they are not at fault.

• Collect concrete evidence of workplace bullying.

• Advocate for policy changes.

Addressing Workplace Abusers

Unlike IPV situations where abusers may be mandated to counseling, workplace bullies are often rewarded under the guise of "strong leadership." Many companies send abusive managers to leadership training, which can act as a resume booster rather than a corrective measure. Instead, organizations need to:

• Shift workplace culture to make bullying tactics socially and professionally unacceptable.

• Implement checks and balances that prevent unchecked hierarchical abuse.

• Promote transparency and accountability in leadership practices.

A Path Forward

Workplace bullying is particularly prevalent in environments with rigid hierarchies and high expectations of perfection, such as hospitals and law firms. Implementing structures that distribute power more equitably can help mitigate these abuses. Employees should have mechanisms to challenge unfair treatment without fear of retaliation.

The Power and Control Wheel provides a framework for understanding and addressing workplace bullying. By naming and documenting these behaviors, employees can take steps toward reclaiming their professional dignity and pushing for systemic change. The goal is not just to escape abuse but to create workplaces where respect and equity are foundational principles.


Dr. Hannah Scott developed the Power and Control Wheel for workplace bullying. She is a professor of criminology and is one of Ontario Tech's founding faculty members. Her expertise has landed her spots on Canadian and international initiatives that address issues community safety. She's also the founding director of Ontario Tech's Center for Evaluation and Survey Research.