Employers have a duty of care to all employees; this includes insuring that the workplace is free from any bullying and harassment.

Despite this, there has been a rise in the number of clients calling our advice lines at Peninsula regarding incidents of bullying and harassment.

So what can employers to do to proactively manage the risk of bullying in the workplace?

Kate Palmer, HR Advice and Consultancy Director at Peninsula, shares her top tips:

Take no prisoners – a zero tolerance approach.
“In a professional setting there should be a zero-tolerance approach towards bullying to ensure all employees are able to carry out their role to the best of their ability, in an environment where they feel comfortable and protected.

“Every workplace should have a bullying and harassment policy in place clearly outlining the behaviour expected from all employees, as well as the steps that will be taken if allegations of bullying and harassment arise and the consequences if the claims are upheld.

“All bullying claims must be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated.

“This policy should be reviewed on an annual basis, ensuring it is kept up to date with all current legislation and best practice. All employees should sign and acknowledge receipt and understanding of the policy to help embed positive behaviours across the company.”

A culture of peace and inclusivity
“It’s important to create a culture whereby employees feel comfortable and empowered to call out bad behaviour or bullying if they experience or witness it in the workplace. Embedding an inclusive culture across the business means that anyone demonstrating bad behaviour will stand out, making it easier to identify incidents of bullying or harassment.

“Make sure that everyone knows how to report bullying or harassment and have a designated member of management on hand throughout the working day if needed to deal with any incidents.

“All teams should have at least one person who employees can raise concerns to. This helps avoid a situation where the person you have to report bullying to is the person responsible. It’s also good to have a route where employees can anonymously raise concerns to allay fears of any repercussions.”

Education is key.
“All employees, including management, should be fully aware of the information contained within the bullying and harassment policy.  Regular training should be carried out whenever any updates are made to the policy.

“Not only will this ensure that everyone across the business is aware of their responsibilities, it will also reinforce your expectations, making it less likely that incidents of bullying will occur.

“There can often be blurred lines between bullying and banter. What one person finds funny can be extremely offensive to someone else. In these scenarios, the person involved may not actually realise that they are causing offence and can often be mortified to find out they have. This is where education is key.

“With no legal definition of bullying in place, it’s up to each business to determine what behaviour is and isn’t appropriate for their workplace.”

Visible support
“The impact of bullying can be devastating, destroying someone’s mental and physical health, sense of worth and purpose. This is especially true when bullying behaviour continues over a prolonged period of time.

“Victims of bullying can often be too embarrassed or intimidated to report the behaviour, so it’s important that when someone raises concerns you have proper support in place.

“An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a great way to help. Employees can access confidential, external support such as counselling, helping them deal with any issues and concerns. Support is often available for family members as well, which can provide additional reassurance for your employees.

“Having comprehensive support in place, as well as a clear investigative and disciplinary process to deal with any allegations of bullying or harassment, will demonstrate to employees that you take their wellbeing seriously.

“When the team feels protected, supported, and appreciated this increased team morale and motivation which then benefits the business.”