(Feb. 2026) — Dear readers, welcome to Issue No. 8 of the Workplace Bullying Newsletter. Each issue contains news and research summaries, short commentaries, and curated resources for those interested in learning about workplace bullying and related forms of workplace mistreatment.
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Workplace Bullying and Harassment on the Big Screen
Despite the longtime focus of my work, I’ve never been eager to track down movies that depict heavy doses of bullying, harassment, incivility, and other forms of mistreatment and discord in the workplace. My sense has been that I’ve learned enough about the real versions to pass on their film depictions.
Nevertheless, we can learn a lot about human behavior through the movies, and workplace abuse is no exception. Picking up on an approach that informed the last newsletter, I did an AI inquiry about how workplace bullying is depicted in movies, and here’s what came up:
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“Workplace bullying in movies is frequently portrayed through toxic bosses, intense power imbalances, and, at times, comedic, yet deeply problematic, scenarios. Key films highlighting these issues include The Devil Wears Prada (2006) for managerial abuse, The Assistant (2019) for systemic harassment, and 9 to 5 (1980) for misogynistic tyranny. These movies often explore the psychological toll on victims and the complicity of the workplace culture.
Key Movies Depicting Workplace Bullying
- The Devil Wears Prada (2006): Features intense bullying by a fashion magazine editor who demands absolute perfection.
- The Assistant (2019): A searing look at a day in the life of an assistant dealing with an abusive and predatory boss.
- Bombshell (2019): Focuses on the toxic workplace culture and sexual harassment experienced by women at a major news network.
- 9 to 5 (1980): A classic comedy depicting three female employees taking revenge on their sexist, egotistical, and lying boss.
- Horrible Bosses (2011): A comedic take on three friends who plot to kill their abusive employers.
- Office Space (1999): Highlights the mundane, repetitive, and condescending nature of corporate management.
- North Country (2005): A drama centered on sexual harassment, abuse, and retaliation in a mining workplace.
- Burnt (2015): Features a temperamental chef who demands, and bullies, his staff into achieving perfection.
- Swimming with Sharks (1994): Explores a Hollywood assistant’s abuse at the hands of a sociopathic studio executive.
- The Intern (2015): While largely positive, it touches on the pressure and demanding nature of modern startup culture.
Themes and Impacts
- Power Dynamics: Films often showcase, and critique, the vast power gap between managers and staff.
- Normalization of Cruelty: Research suggests that repeated exposure to these narratives in media can potentially normalize bullying behaviors.
- Gendered Harassment: Many depictions, such as North Country and Bombshellfocus on sexual harassment and the specific challenges women face in toxic environments.
- Psychological Toll: The films often highlight the emotional and mental stress on victims.
Other notable mentions include The Proposal (2009), Click (2006), and Employee of the Month (2006).”
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My avoidance of these themes in my own movie viewing has been so resolute that 9 to 5 is the only one discussed in this AI response that I can recall watching beginning-to-end! But I think it may be worth the effort to screen many of the titles, if only to expand my resources for public education about workplace mistreatment.
Not surprisingly, themes of sexual harassment and toxic bosses come up repeatedly in the listed films. Workplace bullying in real life frequently overlaps with these elements.
Online Summit Conversation with Andy Regal: Building a Legal Framework for Workplace Justice
In November 2024, media entrepreneur Andy Regal hosted an ambitious Workplace Bullying Online Summit, featuring interviews with subject matter experts on various aspects of workplace bullying. As part of this event, Andy and I had a wide-ranging conversation about the role of the law in supporting justice at work. Andy has now posted it here on YouTube.
Andy has also launched a Substack newsletter, Lessons from Life in Impossible Placesthat discusses workplace bullying and related topics. There you can also learn about his forthcoming book, Surviving Bully Cultureas well as other sites and initiatives dedicated to workplace bullying.
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