How to Deal with a Passive Aggressive Employee

They smile in meetings but miss deadlines. They agree publicly but sabotage in private.

Sound familiar? Passive-aggressive behavior in the workplace is more common than we’d like to admit.

In fact, 70% of U.S. workers report encountering unprecedented levels of passive-aggressive behavior at work, leading to a range of negative consequences for organizations.

From missed deadlines to damaged team morale, passive aggression can subtly undermine productivity and create tension among coworkers.

This behavior is not always easy to spot, as it often involves indirect expressions of anger or frustration—like procrastination, sarcasm, or withholding information.

However, when left unchecked, passive-aggressive employees can severely impact team performance and employee engagement.

In this blog, we’ll explore how to deal with a passive aggressive employee effectively, without escalating conflict.

You’ll learn to identify the signs of passive aggression, understand why it occurs, and discover proven strategies to manage it in the workplace, improving both your team’s performance and the overall atmosphere.

Passive-Aggressive Behavior at Work

Passive-aggressive behavior is an indirect way of expressing anger, resentment, or opposition.

Instead of confronting issues openly, employees display dissatisfaction through subtle actions, like procrastination or “forgetting” tasks.

Unlike overt hostility or direct defiance, passive aggression is masked and covert. Employees may appear agreeable but undermine efforts in private, causing confusion and frustration.

At its core, passive aggression is intentional but rooted in unresolved emotions. Employees may struggle to express their feelings due to fear of conflict or lack of psychological safety, leading to indirect expressions of dissatisfaction that disrupt team dynamics.

Causes of Passive-Aggressive Behavior in the Workplace

Passive-aggressive behavior in the workplace is often triggered by a range of emotional and environmental factors. Here’s a breakdown of the most common causes:

• Fear of Direct Confrontation: Employees conditioned to avoid conflict may express disagreement indirectly rather than addressing issues head-on.

• Low Psychological Safety: In workplaces where employees fear judgment or punishment for speaking up, passive-aggression becomes a safer outlet for frustration.

• Poor Communication Skills: A lack of emotional literacy or assertiveness leads to suppressed emotions, which surface as passive-aggressive behaviors.

• Unresolved Workplace Conflict: Long-standing disputes with colleagues or management often fester and emerge as indirect expressions of anger or frustration.

• Micromanagement or Over-Control: Employees who feel overly scrutinized or powerless may resist authority through subtle forms of defiance.

• Perceived Injustice or Unfair Treatment: Feelings of being overlooked or mistreated can lead to passive-aggressive responses as a way of expressing dissatisfaction.

• Lack of Recognition or Value: When employees feel unappreciated, they may express frustration through behaviors like missed deadlines or sarcasm.

• High Stress or Burnout: Emotional exhaustion from stress or burnout can cause employees to express their frustration indirectly, rather than directly addressing the issue.

• Cultural or Personality Factors: In some cultures or personalities, expressing anger directly is discouraged, leading to passive-aggressive expressions of dissatisfaction.

• Fear of Retaliation or Job Loss: Employees may act passively aggressive if they fear that being honest or direct could jeopardize their job security.

Signs of Passive-Aggressive Behavior in the Workplace

The following are the main signs exhibited by passive-aggressive employees:

• Procrastination on Purpose: Deliberately delays tasks to express resentment, making it clear without direct confrontation.

• “Forgetting” Responsibilities: Misses meetings, deadlines, or important tasks as a subtle form of resistance, avoiding direct conflict.

• Sarcasm and Backhanded Compliments: Uses humor or irony to mask underlying hostility, often making comments that feel dismissive or condescending.

• Withholding Information: Keeps critical details to themselves, causing confusion and hindering team progress.

• Silent Treatment or Withdrawal: Avoids communication or collaboration when upset, creating tension and discomfort in the workplace.

• Blaming Others or Playing the Victim: Rarely takes accountability, instead shifting blame when confronted about issues.

• Deliberate Underperformance: Submits lower-quality work intentionally when feeling slighted or unappreciated.

• Gossip or Sabotage: Undermines colleagues by spreading rumors or subtly damaging their reputations behind their backs.

• Avoiding Face-to-Face Communication: Prefers indirect methods, like emails or notes, instead of addressing issues directly with others.

• Disguised Defiance: Appears to comply with instructions but subtly resists or disrupts the process.

• Chronic Complaining (Indirectly): Expresses dissatisfaction to others but avoids addressing the issue directly with the involved person.

• Over-Control or Resistance to Delegation: Resists collaboration, insisting they can handle everything themselves, often causing bottlenecks.

What Happens If You Ignore Passive-Aggressive Employees

Ignoring passive-aggressive behavior in the workplace can have a serious impact on both individual and team performance. Here are the consequences of leaving this behavior unaddressed:

• Team Morale Drops: Colleagues become frustrated and confused by the employee’s behavior, leading to resentment and disengagement within the team.

• Productivity Declines: Missed deadlines, poor communication, and subtle sabotage slow down the overall performance of the team, creating inefficiencies.

• Toxic Work Culture Spreads: Unchecked passive-aggressive behavior sends a message that indirect hostility is acceptable, further normalizing dysfunction in the workplace.

• Conflict Escalates: What starts as subtle avoidance or sarcasm can spiral into open conflict, gossip, and fractured relationships within the team.

• High-Performers May Leave: Talented employees may grow tired of the ongoing drama and lack of accountability, leading them to seek opportunities elsewhere.

• Manager Credibility Erodes: When leaders fail to address the issue, teams may perceive them as weak or unresponsive, reducing trust and respect for management.

• Performance Issues Go Unresolved: The root cause of missed goals or underperformance remains hidden, preventing any corrective action or improvement.

• Mental Health Impact on Team: Prolonged tension caused by passive-aggressive behavior increases anxiety, burnout, and emotional fatigue among coworkers.

• Risk of Formal Complaints Increases: Continued negativity may lead to HR complaints, legal exposure, or formal grievances, escalating the issue further.

• Reputation Damage: Dysfunctional team dynamics, if left unchecked, can harm the organization’s reputation both internally and externally, affecting its overall success.

10 Proven Ways to Deal with a Passive-Aggressive Employee

Passive-aggressive behavior can significantly disrupt team dynamics and productivity. Addressing it early and effectively is crucial for maintaining a healthy work environment.

Here are 10 proven strategies that can help manage passive-aggressive employees, reduce friction, and promote open communication.

1. Recognize the Signs Early

Identifying passive-aggressive behavior early is key to resolving it before it escalates. Often, this behavior begins subtly—through missed deadlines, sarcastic remarks in meetings, or unexplained delays.

Example: An employee agrees to submit a report by Friday but shows up Monday claiming they “forgot”—for the third time this month.

2. Stay Calm and Avoid Reactivity

When confronted with passive-aggressive behavior, it’s important to remain calm and avoid matching their energy. Reacting emotionally only reinforces their behavior and gives them more control.

Example: If someone rolls their eyes during your instructions, ignore the gesture and keep your tone steady: “Let me know if you have questions before we move forward.”

3. Document Specific Behaviors

Keeping a record of passive-aggressive actions helps separate facts from assumptions and ensures you’re prepared if the issue needs to be escalated.

Example: “On June 12 and June 18, the employee delayed handoff emails, causing team B to miss key prep time.”

4. Initiate a Private, Non-Confrontational Conversation

Approach the employee with a coaching mindset, discussing the behavior without accusations. Ask open-ended questions to encourage them to express their concerns.

Example: “I noticed you’ve been quiet during team meetings lately and your last few updates were late. Is there something you’d like to talk about?”

5. Name the Behavior Gently

Bring awareness to the passive-aggressive behavior without labeling it as such. This can help prevent the employee from becoming defensive.

Example: “It seems like something’s bothering you about this project—Is there anything you’d like to change or flag before we move ahead?”

6. Explore Underlying Causes

Use open-ended questions to understand what’s motivating the passive-aggressive behavior. There may be underlying issues such as job dissatisfaction, poor communication, or stress.

Example: “You’ve seemed disengaged since the team reorganization. Has that changed your role in a way that feels frustrating or unclear?”

7. Set Clear Expectations and Boundaries

Define exactly what is expected of the employee and outline the boundaries for acceptable behavior. Clear communication of expectations reduces ambiguity and prevents passive resistance.

Example: “For our weekly reports, I need them submitted by Thursday noon—If that’s an issue, I need to know ahead of time, not after.”

8. Offer Support without Enabling

Provide options to help the employee succeed, but make it clear that they remain accountable for their actions. Offering support ensures they have the tools to improve without excusing poor behavior.

Example: “Would using a task tracker help with visibility and deadlines? Let’s pilot it—but you’ll still need to update it consistently.”

9. Follow Up and Monitor Progress

Regular check-ins are essential to monitor improvements and provide feedback. Positive reinforcement of improvements encourages continued progress, while regressions can be flagged early.

Example: “I noticed your last two project updates were on time—Great job! Let’s keep this momentum going.”

10. Escalate When Necessary

If there is no improvement despite multiple attempts to address the behavior, it may be necessary to involve HR.

HR may then mandate the employee to take workplace anger management training. This training can help them identify anger triggers, understand their causes, and develop effective strategies for managing passive-aggressive behavior in the workplace.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can passive-aggressive employees really change?

Yes, passive-aggressive employees can change if they become self-aware and are provided with a supportive environment that encourages open, direct communication. With the right guidance and a willingness to address underlying issues, they can improve their behavior.

Conclusion

Passive-aggressive behavior, while often subtle, can be deeply destructive to team dynamics and productivity.

When left unaddressed, it not only affects individual performance but can also undermine the overall morale and cohesion of the entire team.

Learning how to deal with a passive-aggressive employee is an essential skill for managers, as they play a key role in identifying and managing this behavior before it escalates.

To handle passive-aggressive employees effectively, managers must be assertive, empathetic, and structured in their approach.

It’s essential to create a supportive environment where open communication is encouraged, allowing employees to express concerns directly rather than resorting to passive aggression.

Early intervention is key—taking swift action and providing clear, consistent feedback can prevent small issues from turning into larger problems.

Offering support without enabling poor behavior helps foster accountability, while regular check-ins ensure continuous progress.

Ultimately, prevention is far more effective than correction. Cultivating a workplace culture that prioritizes psychological safety, transparent communication, and mutual respect can significantly reduce the likelihood of passive-aggressive behavior occurring.

Addressing issues proactively and fostering an environment of trust will lead to better outcomes for both employees and the organization as a whole.

Recognizing and managing passive-aggressive behavior ensures a healthier, more productive workplace for everyone.