Workplace bullying is defined as repeated, unreasonable actions directed toward an employee that are intended to intimidate, degrade, or undermine them. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler, bullying often involvespersistent behaviorssuch as exclusion, isolation, or deliberately withholding information necessary for an employee to perform their job.
Consistently ignoring emails and questions from one specific employee fits this definition because it represents ongoing, targeted behavior that can harm the employee's ability to work effectively and can cause emotional distress. Dessler highlights that bullying is distinguished from occasional irritation or isolated mistakes by its repetitive and targeted nature.
An irritated tone used in response to disruptive behavior may be poor communication but does not necessarily constitute bullying. Accidentally revealing personal information is a confidentiality breach, not bullying.
Documenting negative observations in a performance review is a legitimate management responsibility when done objectively and fairly.
Thus, the behavior that qualifies as workplace bullying isconsistently ignoring emails and questions from one particular employee.
Source:
Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Workplace Fairness and Employee Relations