While it might seem like something that stops when you leave school, bullying is something that can carry on well into your adult life. It can have a very real impact on the company that's allowing it to happen, with Australia's Productivity Commission estimating that it takes between $6bn and $36bn out of the economy each and every year.
What Are Some Reasons Why People Are Bullied At Work?
Of course, some bullying will involve being physical with someone, but that's far from the only way in which it occurs. As such, there are a number of ways in which workplace bullying can occur, and they can be insidious and almost unnoticeable if you don't know what you're looking for.
Bullying at work can include:
- Denial of promotion or training opportunities
- The regular undermining of someone in their work
- Discrimination based on race, gender, sexuality, or disability
- Unfair treatment of any kind
- Spreading of malicious gossip
There are also many reasons why workplace bullying occurs. It could be because of an employee's appearance, demeanour, or interpersonal skills. It's wrong. It shouldn't happen. Sadly it does, but the good news is that as the boss, you have the ability to stop it in its tracks. As their boss, you have a responsibility to stop it.
How To Deal With Bullying And Harassment In The Workplace?
So, what are those steps? Well, as online training in HR shows, there are some distinct aspects that you need to cover in order to create the conditions in which bullying is not allowed to thrive. Come with us now as we explore what they are precisely.
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Step #1 - Document All Events
If a case of workplace bullying goes all the way to disciplinary action, it's vital that you have all the facts at hand. Australian employment law states that the disciplinary process should be fair at all times, and by documenting everything, you'll have a firm grasp on what happened when it happened and what was said by each person when questioned.
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Step #2 - Refer The Bully To Your Workplace Policy
If onboarding were carried out correctly, the bully in question would have received a copy of your workplace or harassment policy when they joined. There should be details of the consequences of failing to adhere to this policy by bullying a colleague. 99 times out of 100, this should stop the activity.
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Step #3 - Speak To An HR Manager
Another important step is to take some advice from your HR representative. They’ll be able to guide you to the best course of action, as well as help with things like employee mediation. Particularly when there’s some ambiguity to the bullying allegations, they can help greatly in getting things resolved.
In the vast majority of cases when workplace bullying rears its ugly head, these three steps will lead to a resolution - whether that’s an agreement to stop or the bully getting fired. However, in the small number of cases that don’t reach a resolution, you can seek help from Australian bodies like the Fair Work Commission that provide support for matters like these.
Another useful resource when facing these kinds of challenges as someone who's bullied or a manager who's trying to support a bullied team member is Safe Work Australia. Able to provide advice and even act on your behalf, they offer a wide range of help to Australian professionals.
OCA Online Training - The Simple Way To Learn Pro Skills
When dealing with bullying and conflict in the workplace, it can be tricky to do the right thing and not make matters worse. However, our video-based CPD-Endorsed short online courses offer a convenient, affordable, and engaging way to develop your HR knowledge. Courses like our Conflict Management course offer an immersive learning experience that goes well beyond traditional text-based training.
For professionals looking to work on their personal development, our training represents the ideal choice. To get a feel for what we mean, take a moment to watch our Student Study Demo, which clearly shows what makes us different. It's not by accident that our customers see ours as the best online courses Australia has to offer.
To find out more about what sets us apart from the competition, visit us today at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au where you'll see our selection of flexible payment options, the fact that every course comes with 1-to-1 mentoring, and much, much more besides.
If you'd like to speak to us about your precise training goals and requirements, simply call 1300 611 404, where our friendly team of advisors is waiting to assist you in finding the right solution. Alternatively, send an email to [email protected], and we'll respond as quickly as possible.
