What is Workplace bullying?

Workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety. Repeated behaviour refers to the persistent nature of the behaviour. It can involve a range of behaviours over time.

Workplace bullying is verbal, physical, cyber, social, or psychological abuse by your employer, manager, another person, or a group at work. It can also include sexual harassment and discrimination. This can happen to anyone in any workplace.

According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, “Bullying at work happens when:

• A person or group of people repeatedly behave unreasonably towards another worker or group of workers.
• The behaviour creates a risk to health and safety”.

 What are the signs of workplace bullying?

Characteristics of bullying in the workplace directed to a person(s) can include aggressive behaviour, teasing or playing practical jokes, humiliating, belittling, embarrassing, intimidating, threatening, unfairly criticising, pressuring, excluding someone from work-related events and setting unreasonable work demands.

What are the effects?
A range of adverse effects can result from Workplace bullying, impacting the person affected, other employees and the entire company. It can tarnish the workplace productivity and the performance of employees. It also hurts the health and well-being of the employee(s) affected, which may result in depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, nausea, and muscle tension.

What if I witness workplace bullying?
Read your workplace’s policy on bullying and harassment, keep written records of these instances, talk to people you trust, talk to the bully about their behaviour (if you feel comfortable doing this), reporting it to a manager, supervisor, HR Officer, or Union Representative, contacting the Fair Work Commission, or going to the police, if the situation involves stalking, assault, or violence.

WorkSafe ACT can issue an improvement notice if bullying has been found in your workplace. Safety Management Consulting can train managers and workers on psychosocial hazards and how to manage them within the workplace. This training is crucial to all businesses as Workplace bullying has detrimental impacts on any company affected. Please contact us to see how we can help eliminate Workplace bullying for your business.