In the workplace, this is most commonly exhibited by simply not following through on things employees are supposed to do, either because they don't want to do it, want to do something else, or are upset with their employer or coworkers. This kind of passive-aggressive behavior is usually the result of an unwillingness, or even an inability, to confront the issue head on. Unfortunately, rather than being viewed for what it is (an ineffective way of saying that "I'm not happy"), this behavior is usually taken as an indication that an employee either doesn't have the ability or motivation, or both, to do his job. Then, when an employer sees someone not getting simple jobs done, he isn't likely to give the employee bigger, more interesting tasks.