Soft mobbing, or violating dignity with velvet gloves

13.07.2025

In this episode, we discuss a phenomenon that eludes the definitions of the Labour Code but realistically affects the mental health and engagement of employees — soft mobbing. These are subtle, often elusive forms of manipulation that can take the form of gaslighting, apparent mistakes, feigned incompetence, or vague communication. Although they do not always meet the legal criteria for mobbing, they violate the fundamental principles of respect and safety in the workplace. And the employer has an obligation to react to that. This is an important episode for all managers, HR professionals, and team leaders. Because sometimes what looks like “just work” can be a source of frustration, anxiety, and… quiet quitting.