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Bullying and harassment

Bullying is repeated unreasonable behaviour that is humiliating, intimidating, threatening or demeaning to a person, or group of people, at the workplace, which creates a risk to health and safety. Harassment may also involve unreasonable behaviours, but harassment is different from bullying in that it is a form of discrimination.

Workplace bullying and harassment is a risk to health and safety because it may affect the mental and physical health of workers. The effects of bullying and harassment will vary depending on the individual as well as the situation and may include one or more of the following:

  • Stress, anxiety or sleep disturbance
  • Mental health issues such as depression
  • Reduced quality of family and home life
  • Increased absenteeism and staff turnover
  • Reduced work performance

Hazards and risks associated with bullying and harassment can arise as a result of:

  • Direct bullying (for example, verbal abuse, putting someone down, spreading rumours, interfering with personal property)
  • Indirect bullying (for example, unjustified criticism, deliberate exclusion, denying access to information/resources, deliberately changing work arrangements to inconvenience worker)
  • Poor work relationships
  • Interpersonal conflict
  • Lack of consultation
  • Lack of support

There can be an increased risk of bullying and harassment for young workers.

The following control measures can help with preventing bullying and harassment at work:

  • Ensure all staff complete the Prevention of Bullying OLM compliance module as part of induction (and then every 2 years)
  • Ensure all staff are aware of polices and guidelines on appropriate workplace behaviours, in particular the Code of Conduct and the Equity, Inclusion and Respect Policy
  • Encourage and promote a positive work culture
  • Ensure workers and managers receive appropriate training on communication skills/styles, handling difficult conversations, giving and receiving feedback, coaching etc
  • Ensure all staff know what to do if they are being bullied or harassed and encourage early reporting; ensure action is taken promptly to resolve any issues
  • Increase opportunities for workplace interaction between employees
  • Ensure staff are consulted on any practices which may affect them

Remember:

  • The risk of workplace bullying can be eliminated or minimised by creating a work environment where everyone treats each other with dignity and respect.
  • Young workers are more likely to be victims of bullying and harassment

UTS resources

Legislation that relate to specific types of harassment

SafeWork Australia