With the kids back at school, bullying is in the headlines again. But bullying doesn’t end at school.
A survey published in November by Safe Work Australia, found 9.4% of Australian workers had been bullied in the last 6 months and this rate seems to be climbing every year.
Not only is bullying inappropriate, it is closely linked to mental health issues – something that should concern all employers.
What do you do about it?
Here are 3 tips to get you started.
Tip 1: Have a policy
Make sure you have a written and easy to follow policy on how to handle complaints of workplace bullying. If you don’t know what to include, ask us to help you.
Tip 2: Don’t leave it in the drawer!
In other words, as soon as you receive a complaint about bullying, refer to the policy and follow it to the letter. Failure to act appropriately and promptly could lead to prosecution under work health and safety legislation. If you are unsure about what to do, contact us for assistance.
Tip 3: Investigate the complaint
This doesn’t need to be heavy handed but you do need to speak to all parties involved in the bullying episode. If an employee discloses they are experiencing mental health issues, tread carefully to ensure you don’t exacerbate the problem. Again, if you don’t feel you have the skills to manage the investigation, seek expert assistance. We are here to help you.
It’s a legal obligation
Bullying can seriously affect the mental health and safety of your workers. As an employer, you are legally obliged to protect your staff from bullying and harassment as well as physical dangers.
If you don’t feel you have the policies or skills to manage a workplace bullying complaint, contact End2End for assistance on 02 8977 4002.