Workplace gaslighting: a construct for organizational research

Scholarly interest in gaslighting research has surged across various domains, particularly after it was named the word of the year in 2022. Despite growing research on the topic of gaslighting, the literature on workplace gaslighting remains limited, hindering the establishment of a clear, definitive concept. We review current scholarship on gaslighting through a systematic literature review and analyze definitions across various disciplines. The thematic analysis of definitions was used to delineate the attributes of the gaslighting phenomenon into necessary and contingent. We conceptualize that workplace gaslighting phenomenon comprises of necessary gaslighting behaviors by gaslighters and contingent experience of gaslighting by gaslightees. Gaslighting behaviors have necessary attributes of: (a) trivialization, i.e., minimizing employees’ work and non-work-related concerns and (b) affliction potential, i.e., ability to cause pain, distress, suffering or negative outcome. The experience of gaslighting can escalate to distortion of reality/confusion/self-doubt which is contingent upon perceived power imbalance. Due to the pervasive and covert nature of the construct proving of intention is not always possible, hence intentionality is considered contingent. Based on our findings, we propose a definition of workplace gaslighting and suggest areas for future research.