Survey Finds 61% of Workers Have Been Thrown Under the Bus at Work, Yet 73% Deny Doing It Themselves

By Cision PRWeb On Feb 27, 2025

Resume Now Survey Reveals Widespread Workplace Blame-Shifting

A new survey from Resume Now, a simple and effective resume and cover letter building service, uncovers a startling disconnect in workplace behavior. The Dirty Moves in the Workplace Report reveals that while 73% of employees insist they’ve never thrown a colleague under the bus, 61% say they have been victims of this behavior. Peers (64%) and teammates (37%) are identified as the primary offenders.

The survey, conducted in February 2025 with over 1,000 U.S. respondents, uncovers a pervasive culture of blame-shifting. Notably, 63% of respondents have witnessed this behavior at work, with 29% seeing it occur at least once a week. These findings highlight a widespread yet often unspoken issue that can undermine trust and productivity in the workplace.

“Workplace blame-shifting and sabotage can have significant consequences on team dynamics, productivity, and employee morale,” says Keith Spencer, career expert at Resume Now.

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Key Findings:

61% have been thrown under the bus at work, with 32% experiencing it multiple times.
Despite this, 73% claim they have never engaged in this behavior themselves.
63% report seeing this in action in their workplace, with 29% witnessing it at least weekly.
64% cite peers as the main culprits, followed by teammates (37%) and direct managers (26%).
The Most Prevalent Dirty Workplace Moves:

The survey highlights the most prevalent tactics of workplace sabotage:

Blaming others for their mistakes (26%)
Sharing negative information about a coworker to leadership (21%)
Withholding critical information that could help a colleague succeed (10%)
Deliberately setting up a person to fail (6%)
Why People Throw Colleagues Under the Bus:

The survey reveals that career ambitions and self-preservation are the primary drivers behind this toxic behavior:

47% to protect their own reputation
45% to avoid personal consequences
40% to advance their career
40% to gain favor with leadership
Generational Insights:

Gen Z (17%) and Millennials (18%) are more likely to be perceived as engaging in this behavior compared to Gen X (8%) and Baby Boomers (9%).

However, nearly 49% believe that this behavior is consistent across all generations, suggesting it’s a workplace issue that transcends age groups.

“Workplace blame-shifting and sabotage can have significant consequences on team dynamics, productivity, and employee morale,” says Keith Spencer, career expert at Resume Now. “This research not only highlights the widespread nature of this issue but also points to the urgent need for fostering healthier, more supportive workplace cultures.”

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