After discovering that two in five people experience bullying and/or harassment at work and that, of those who experienced it, 62.5% chose not to report it*, Tina Chander, Head of Employment Law at law firm Wright Hassall, is on a mission to end workplace bullying. As part of her efforts to stamp out this toxic behaviour, she has launched End Workplace Bullying Day, a campaign calling for HR teams and workplaces to become allies and advocate against workplace bullying and harassment.
Here she shares her top five tips for employers to prevent workplace bullying. The steps employers need to take to combat workplace bullying and harassment Bullying and/or harassment in the workplace is simply unacceptable. Employers have an obvious moral duty to be proactive and prevent it, but it also makes complete business sense – companies with a toxic workplace culture will inevitably suffer reputational damage, have high rates of absenteeism, lose talent and potentially also find themselves facing an employment tribunal. So what steps should employers take to ensure a safe workplace for their employees? Have an effective policy which is clearly communicated Safe workplaces do not result from good intentions alone. That is why the first step in preventing workplace bullying has to be to create and implement a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that clearly defines what constitutes bullying and harassment. It should be written in plain language that is easily understood by all employees and leaves no room for ambiguity. Employers need to communicate the policy to all employees and provide training on it as part of the onboarding process. The policy should be included in the company’s employee handbook and posted up in common areas to ensure its visibility so that bullies cannot claim ignorance. Train employees and managers A key element in preventing workplace bullying is education, as this leaves bullies nowhere to hide. Employers should provide training sessions and workshops for both employees and managers so that they know how to recognise and prevent bullying behaviours, including discriminatory ‘banter’. Employees should also be taught how to report incidents confidentially and be made aware of their rights and responsibilities. Develop and maintain a safe reporting and investigation process that is upheld even if senior staff members are reported Employers must establish a proper reporting mechanism that allows employees to report bullying incidents safe in the knowledge that this will be treated confidentially. This mechanism can be a dedicated hotline, an online portal or another secure method, and it must be monitored frequently so that no report is missed. And it is equally important that all reported incidents are promptly and thoroughly investigated by impartial parties, regardless of whether senior staff members are involved – the same rules and standards must apply for everyone. Ensuring consistency and fairness is key when it comes to taking appropriate disciplinary action against bullies. Lead by example A positive workplace culture starts at the top. Senior managers should lead by example and encourage respectful and inclusive behaviour among all employees, including management. In this way, they can promote open communication and create opportunities for employees to voice their concerns or grievances without fear of retaliation. Employers should also celebrate diversity and inclusion by recognising and valuing the unique contributions of each employee. Regularly make time to update your approach, and understand employees’ experience at work Preventing workplace bullying is an ongoing process, so it’s crucial to regularly assess the workplace environment to identify potential bullying hotspots or trends. By seeking feedback from employees through surveys or focus groups, employers can better understand how they feel about the culture and whether they perceive the anti-bullying measures as effective. This feedback is invaluable for making continuous improvements to the company’s anti-bullying policies and practices. Final thoughts Preventing workplace bullying is not just a legal obligation; it is also the right thing to do. Creating a respectful and inclusive workplace culture benefits everyone in the organisation. By developing clear policies, providing education and support, and enforcing anti-bullying measures consistently, employers can create a safer and more harmonious work environment where employees can thrive and contribute their best. Remember, a workplace free of bullying is a workplace where everyone can reach their full potential. And then everyone wins. *Based on a nationally representative survey of 2,135 people.Five Top Tips For Employers To Prevent Workplace Bullying By Tina Chander
