Workplace harassment is no longer solely a matter of individual behavior.
In a ruling dated December 10, 2025, the Court of Cassation clarified an essential point: management methods can, on their own, characterize a situation of moral harassment at work.
A major development for executives, managers and team leaders.
Workplace harassment: a broader definition
Workplace harassment is defined as repeated actions that lead to a deterioration of working conditions, potentially harming an employee's physical or mental health. The French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation) confirms that such actions are not limited to individual behavior; they can also result from management practices.
In other words: Workplace harassment can be organizational.
Managerial harassment: when practices become risky
Our training programs are based on approaches developed by international experts:
- NEWS® Coaching & Training
- Barnes & Conti
- McLuhan & Davies
This content, deployed in many countries and sectors, effectively addresses the major current challenges facing organizations.
The Equoranda teams regularly participate in educational workshops bringing together international partners of NEWS® Coaching & Training, Barnes & Conti, McLuhan & Davies.
This work allows us to:
- to identify the best teaching practices worldwide
- to enrich the content of training through a very broad sharing of experience
- to anticipate the major trends observed
Do you have to be personally targeted to talk about workplace harassment?
This is a key point in recent developments.
An employee can claim workplace harassment even if the practices involve an entire team.
However, one condition remains essential: He must demonstrate that these practices have an impact on:
• its own working conditions
• and are likely to impair his health
In concrete terms, the system matters, its individual effects remain decisive.
Why are businesses directly affected?
This evolution profoundly changes how situations are interpreted in the workplace. Workplace harassment is no longer solely an individual or disciplinary matter.
It becomes:
- An organizational topic
- A managerial topic
- A legal issue
Certain practices, whether tolerated or normalized, can now expose the company:
- Culture of constant pressure
- Lack of a clear framework
- Lack of managerial support
- Deteriorating communication
The risk is not only human; it is also legal and reputational.
Preventing workplace harassment: a key managerial challenge
This is a key point in recent developments.
Preventing workplace harassment is not solely based on HR procedures.
It is based first and foremost on management.
A manager who has a hierarchical link with a team, or a project manager who functionally leads a team, plays a central role in:
- pressure regulation
- the quality of relationships
- the clarity of expectations
- the level of support provided to the teams
Inadequate management can unintentionally create risky situations. Well-trained management becomes a powerful tool for prevention.
The Equoranda approach: transforming managerial practices?
At Equoranda, we support leaders, managers and project managers in preventing workplace harassment.
Our conviction is simple: This subject cannot be addressed solely through rules. It requires work in daily practices.
Our support services enable you to:
- Evolving managerial approaches
- Developing demanding and supportive practices
- Strengthening soft skills and interpersonal skills
- Align performance, engagement and quality of working life
Our services include, in particular:
- Helping managers adjust their level of expectations
- To structure clear operating methods
- Securing practices with regard to human and legal issues
Workplace bullying: towards broader managerial responsibility
The Court of Cassation's decision marks an important development. It reaffirms that workplace harassment can be the product of a system, and not solely of an individual.
For managers and executives, this implies:
- to take a step back and reflect on their practices
- to train
- to be accompanied
Workplace bullying thus becomes a key indicator of management quality. Unintentionally, risky situations can arise. Well-trained management becomes a powerful tool for prevention.
Conclusion: a strategic issue for organizations
Workplace harassment is no longer just an HR issue.
It is :
- a workplace health issue
- a challenge of engagement collaborators
- a legal issue
- a challenge of sustainable performance
Companies that can adapt their management practices will be the ones that secure both their teams… and their future.
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FAQS
What is workplace harassment?
Workplace harassment refers to repeated actions that lead to a deterioration of working conditions, potentially harming an employee's physical or mental health. These actions can be individual, but they can also result from management methods or work organization. As the Court of Cassation has reiterated, workplace harassment can be linked to collective practices.
Can a manager be unintentionally responsible for workplace harassment?
Yes.
A manager can be the source of a situation of workplace harassment, even without intent to harm.
It is the effects of managerial practices that are being evaluated.
For example :
- constant excessive pressure
- unrealistic goals
- a lack of support or communication
If these practices degrade working conditions, they can be classified as workplace harassment.
Do you have to be personally targeted to talk about workplace harassment?
No.
An employee can claim workplace harassment even if the practices affect an entire team.
However, he must demonstrate that these practices have an impact on:
- His working conditions
- And his health (or are likely to impair it)
This point was confirmed by the Court of Cassation.
What practices can constitute workplace harassment?
Certain management practices become problematic when they are repeated:
- management by fear
- constant pressure
- unattainable goals
- lack of recognition
- degrading communication
- isolation or segregation
It is their repetition and their effects that can characterize workplace harassment.
How to prevent workplace harassment in a company?
Preventing workplace harassment relies heavily on management.
Companies can take action by:
- training managers
- clarifying practices and expectations
- developing soft skills
- establishing spaces for dialogue
Appropriate management is the primary lever for prevention.
Why is workplace harassment a strategic issue?
Workplace bullying has major impacts:
- on the health of employees
- on the engagement and performance
- on the social climate
- on the company's legal liability
This is now a central issue for leaders and management teams.
How can you get support to prevent workplace harassment?
Changing management practices is essential to preventing workplace harassment.
At Equoranda, we support managers and executives in:
- adjust their practices
- strengthen their skills relational
- securing their management
The objective: to prevent risks and sustainably strengthen engagement teams.
