Bullying at work can be damaging to both the employee and the business, and in some cases can lead to an employment tribunal. Peninsula, Employment Law and Health and Safety experts, have produced an advice guide which explains how to deal with bullying in the workplace.
The definition of workplace bullying is mistreatment by a colleague or manager. Acts of bullying can include intimidation, physical or verbal abuse, humiliation, sabotage, and being picked on using phone or email.
However, in most cases the employer cannot be taken to tribunal unless the bullying constitutes harassment or discrimination – i.e. mistreatment on the basis of the employee's race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
The best way of dealing with bullying in the workplace is to create a strong anti-bullying policy. A clear set of rules and a formal procedure for complaints and disciplinary action will help back this up. Finally, make sure your employees feel they can talk to somebody if they're being bullied at work – managers and HR staff should always have an open door policy and a supportive stance.
To learn more about workplace bullying and other aspects of running a successful and legally compliant business, Peninsula runs free employment law seminars. These seminars are presented by experts in the field, and include news on upcoming legislation, as well as case studies to illustrate the finer points of the law.
