What type of behavior should be categorized as hostile work environment harassment?

A hostile work environment is characterized by behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or abusive atmosphere for an employee. This type of harassment often involves discriminatory actions that target an individual based on specific characteristics such as sex, race, or disability. Abusive treatment related to a person's sex includes actions such as derogatory remarks, inappropriate jokes, unwanted physical contact, or any form of behavior that negatively impacts an individual because of their gender. This persistent and pervasive conduct can undermine the individual's ability to perform their job effectively while fostering a culture of fear and discomfort.

In contrast, the other behaviors listed do not meet the threshold for hostile work environment harassment. Friendly banter among coworkers and motivating discussions about performance generally contribute to a positive workplace culture and are not aimed at targeting or discriminating against any employee. Random personal compliments, while potentially inappropriate depending on context, do not typically rise to the level of hostility or harassment unless they are unwanted and obsessive in nature, which is not indicated here.