What are the consequences of horizontal violence in the workplace?

• A. Increased collaboration and morale.
• B. Improved productivity and retention.
• C. Higher patient satisfaction.
• D. Low morale and increased stress among staff.

Answer: (D)

Horizontal violence creates a toxic work climate where peers belittle, bully, or shame one another. This kind of behavior erodes psychological safety, so staff feel undervalued and stressed. When morale drops and stress rises, engagement and teamwork suffer, burnout increases, and turnover goes up. That combination directly undermines how people collaborate and communicate, which can compromise patient safety and quality of care. So the most accurate consequence described is low morale and increased stress among staff. The other options describe positive outcomes that wouldn’t occur in a hostile environment, since horizontal violence tends to undermine collaboration, productivity, retention, and patient satisfaction rather than improve them.