Under Pressure: Mobbing, Otherness, and the Making of a Scapegoat

Workplace scapegoating and mobbing are frequently seen as isolated acts of aggression or personality clashes, but these dynamics are often rooted in deeper group and organizational processes. This article explores how institutional strain and collective stress create a readiness for groups to target those who stand out, whether as outsiders, high achievers, or individuals with exceptional intelligence, moral conviction, or generosity. Drawing on research into “tall poppy syndrome” and the psychology of otherness, the analysis reveals how even valued traits can become liabilities when group cohesion is threatened. The article shows that under pressure, organizations are more likely to reframe difference as threat, making scapegoating and exclusion a predictable outcome of workplace stress rather than a rare exception. Read on.