5 Red Flags of Psychopaths In The Workplace

A researcher specializing in narcissism and psychopathy shares the five signs you may be encountering psychopaths in the workplace.

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Workplace bullying by narcissists and psychopaths isn't uncommon. As many as 75% of workers have experienced some form of workplace bullying whether being a direct target or witness. According to Forbes, “People become targets because something about them is threatening to the bully. Often they are more skilled, more technically proficient, have a higher EQ or people just like them better.” Researchers note that psychopathic individuals can wreak havoc in the workplace and instigate chaos in the productivity of others. Sheehy and colleagues (2020) write that individuals with Dark triad traits such as narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy and what they call “subclinical psychopaths” may present “façade of normalcy” but engage in destructive sabotaging behaviors that is “potentially devastating for the organization, its mission, its employees.”

As they write, “The evidence of corporate psychopaths in practice reveals that they are particularly ruthless, conscience-free... largely motivated by greed and aggrandizement. Where they excel is their ability to adapt their conduct as need and context requires. They excel in recognizing those they need and those who can make their lives difficult, as well as those they can intimidate and discount. They learn, in effect, to ‘kiss up, and kick down’.” Here are five signs you may be targeted by psychopaths at work.

1. You notice an inconsistency between words and actions. Love bombing, the excessive attention and flattery that narcissists shower on their victims, doesn't just occur in romantic relationships. It can happen in the workplace too. If you were made false promises or mislead to believe you would receive certain benefits from doing work for anyone, which were used to benefit them but did not fairly follow through for you, you may be encountering exploitiative people.

2. You may be targeted by other colleagues for sabotage or exclusion if they notice your credentials, performance, talents surpass theirs. Malicious envy which is associated with narcissistic and psychopathic studies can be rampant in the workplace, especially among narcissistic and psychopathic people. You might notice colleagues trying to hide your achievements to superiors or taking credit for your ideas in an attempt to climb the corporate ladder.

3. Your concerns are used against you to intimidate you or you are steamrolled into silence. When you raise legitimate concerns about mistreatment or healthy feedback that could improve your own productivity, you are met with gaslighting, the silent treatment, or stonewalling and emotional invalidation. You may also be threatened or blackmailed into silence.

4. Your labor and high performance are exploited without the extra compensation, credit, or opportunities they normally would be given. You might notice narcissists and psychopaths being given more opportunities and promotions in the workplace even when your performance surpasses theirs. That is because, as studies show, narcissistic CEOs tend to hire other narcissistic employees to be in their corner. If you're an empathic, talented person, your resources and gifts may be used to benefit others in the company rather than uplift you to a level you deserve to be in. This can be especially true if you're a marginalized member of society, as racial and sexist microaggressions can abound in aggressive workplace environments.

5. You feel confused and disoriented on a daily basis. If you feel like you are given conflicting information, a limited amount of resources, or a lack of information to help do your work most effectively, or you often go above and beyond the responsibilities of your role, and this treatment differs when it comes to you, even if you're one of the most highest performing people working in any capacity for a company, this confusion can be one of the red flags you're encountering psychopathic people in the workplace.