Have you checked out this new Allianz Australia data suggesting that bullying and harassment is now deeply embedded in workplace culture rather than confined to “a few bad apples”? It’s pretty full-on and we’re wondering why psychological injury claims are going through the roof?
Is it pressure to perform in a competitive space? Higher demands? Hybrid vs office-based work? Whatever the case, this new data shows these claims have surged by 75.7% between 2021 and 2025, now accounting for almost 40% of all mental injury claims and 39.5% of all active workers’ compensation claims.
This isn’t a trend driven by a handful of bad actors. It’s a signal that something deeper is happening inside our workplaces. 😭
A cultural problem, not a compliance one
The scale of the increase points to a cultural issue rather than isolated misconduct. Bullying and harassment are no longer hidden on the margins of organisational life; they are emerging as symptoms of fractured workplace norms, strained relationships, and unresolved tensions about how work should function post-pandemic. Bloody Covid!
Allianz’s national manager for mental health strategy and delivery, Brianna Cattanach, has been clear: these claims reflect both a genuine rise in harmful behaviour and a long-overdue shift in workers’ willingness to speak up.
In short, people are no longer absorbing harm in silence.
More reporting doesn’t mean nothing is wrong
It would be easy — and dangerous — to dismiss the data as simply the result of greater awareness of workers’ compensation pathways. Yes, employees today are more informed, more supported by unions and stakeholders, and more confident in naming harmful behaviour. But that doesn’t negate the reality that many workplaces are under pressure in new ways.
What’s changed is not just reporting — it’s tolerance. 🙏🏼
Behaviours once brushed off as “personality clashes”, “banter”, or “just the culture” are now recognised for what they are: micro-aggressions, exclusion, intimidation, and psychological harm. That shift is especially pronounced among younger workers, who bring different expectations about respect, boundaries, and wellbeing into the workplace.
The return-to-office effect: more proximity, more friction
One of the biggest accelerants of conflict has been the return to physical workplaces. 👽
After years of remote and hybrid work, many teams are experiencing what could be described as social rust. Professional norms dulled by screen-based communication are now being stress-tested in face-to-face environments. Email and messaging allow for distance, delay, and editing; physical workplaces require emotional intelligence, awareness, and restraint in real time.
As organisations mandate or encourage office attendance, gaps in interpersonal skills and professional behaviour are becoming more visible — and more damaging.
There are also new avenues for exclusion: who gets invited into informal conversations, who sits together, who is seen, heard, or overlooked. These subtle dynamics can quickly tip into bullying when left unchecked.
Throw us your thoughts on how you’re viewing the landscape these days? 💥
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