Workplace aggression is a specific type of aggression which occurs in the workplace. Workplace aggression is any type of hostile behavior that occurs in the workplace. It can range from verbal insults and threats to physical violence, and it can occur between coworkers, supervisors, and subordinates. Common examples of workplace aggression include gossiping, bullying, intimidation, sabotage, sexual harassment, and physical violence. These behaviors can have serious consequences, including reduced productivity, increased stress, and decreased morale.

Workplace aggression can be classified as either active or passive. Active aggression is direct, overt, and obvious. It involves behaviors such as yelling, swearing, threatening, or physically attacking someone. Passive aggression is indirect, covert, and subtle. It includes behaviors such as spreading rumors, gossiping, ignoring someone, or refusing to cooperate. There are various causes of workplace aggression. These include stress, power imbalances, a lack of communication, and personality conflicts. It is important to identify and address the underlying causes of workplace aggression in order to prevent it from happening again.

Employers should take steps to create a safe and respectful work environment. This includes establishing clear policies and procedures for handling workplace aggression. Employers should also provide training on interpersonal skills and conflict resolution, as well as encourage open communication. If workplace aggression does occur, employers should take appropriate disciplinary action. Workplace aggression can decrease a person's ability to do their job well, lead to physical declines in health and mental health problems, and also change the way a person behaves at home and in public. If someone is experiencing aggression at work, it may result in an increase in missed days (absence from work) and some may decide to leave their positions.

Aggression, in general, is any behavior an individual carries out with the intent to harm another person or group of people. The aggressor must believe that their behavior is harmful to their target, and that the target is motivated to avoid this behavior. International Labour Organization definition of workplace violence as "any action, incident or behaviour that departures from reasonable conduct in which a person is threatened, harmed, injured in the course of, or as a direct result of, his or her work".

A defining feature of aggression is the intent or motivation to harm. For a behavior to be considered an aggressive act, the individual committing the behavior must intend harm. In other words, if they inflict harm on another without that specific intent, it is not considered aggression.

Aggression can occur in a variety of situations. One important domain to understand aggression is in the workplace. Workplace aggression is considered a specific type of counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and is defined as "any act of aggression, physical assault, threatening or coercive behavior that causes physical or emotional harm in a work setting."

Some researchers specify that workplace aggression only includes efforts to harm coworkers, former coworkers, current employers, or past employers. Others include in workplace aggression any behaviors intended to harm another person that are enacted in a workplace.

To delineate the range of behaviors that can be considered aggressive workplace behaviors, researchers have developed schemes of classification for workplace aggression. Neuman and Baron (1998) offer these three dimensions that encompass the range of workplace aggression: