What term describes harassment that leads to a physically threatening or humiliating environment affecting employee performance?

The term that describes harassment leading to a physically threatening or humiliating environment, which negatively impacts employee performance, is known as creating a hostile work environment. This concept encompasses behaviors that create an intimidating, hostile, or abusive atmosphere for employees, thereby affecting their ability to perform their jobs effectively. This type of environment can stem from various forms of harassment, including verbal abuse or offensive conduct, which contribute to a workplace that feels unsafe or uncomfortable.

In legal and human resources contexts, a hostile work environment is often discussed in relation to workplace policies and compliance with labor laws, as employers are obligated to provide a safe working environment. Creating such an environment can result in serious repercussions for an organization, both ethically and legally.

Workplace bullying refers to repeated mistreatment that may not necessarily create a "hostile" legal environment, while discrimination specifically relates to unfair treatment based on protected characteristics (like race, gender, or age). Coercive actions imply forcing someone to act in a certain way, which may not encompass the wider range of harassment behaviors that contribute to a hostile environment.