What To Do If You’re A Victim Of Workplace Bullying

It’s a sad truth that Australia ranks sixth in a survey including more than 30 European countries for workplace bullying. In other words, there is a lot of room for improvement.

As an employer, you should be concerned, not just because it’s a poor result. Workplace bullying results in unhappy staff. These employees will be less productive, more likely to be absent, and more likely to quit, potentially seeing a good constructive dismissal lawyer with a solid case against the company.

As an employer, you don’t need bad publicity and you will appreciate the better environment and productivity rates of a hassle-free workplace.

The good news is you can educate all employees to help prevent this from being an issue. This starts with making sure all employees know what to do if they experience workplace bullying.

Take Stock First

Before you do anything it’s a good idea to take a step back to help get perspective. For example, is it just you that is experiencing bullying or is the bully targeting lots of employees? It’s important to know which it is as this can affect the way you tackle the situation.

After all, if it’s just you that you will need to take action but, if several employees are being bullied you can group together to deal with the issue. It’s likely to make it easier to resolve.

Talk To Your Co-worker

The next step is to talk to your co-worker or manager. There is little doubt this is one of the hardest things you’ll have to do. However, sometimes simply bringing the issue up and letting the bully know you’re not afraid to take this further, is enough to get them to stop.

It’s best to choose a neutral venue to talk and, if necessary, have an independent witness monitor the meeting.

Keep A Record Of Everything

It’s very important that you document every incident of bullying or harassing behaviour. This will make it easier to show your case against the bully if you need to take the matter further. When documenting incidents make sure you take as much detail as possible. It can be hard to remember details later, having them written down makes it easier.

Of course, if you have any physical evidence to back up the bullying then keep it.

Report It

Finally, you’ll need to report the matter. It’s a good idea to check your staff handbook regarding the correct procedure and then follow it. In most cases, you’ll need to make the HR department or your line manager aware of the issue. If your line manager is the bully then you’ll need to jump up the chain of command.

The company should investigate and respond accordingly. However, if they aren’t reacting properly or taking your claim seriously, it will be time to speak to your employment lawyer. They will usually send a warning letter before advancing your case for you. They can also offer advice on the best way forward, allowing you to permanently resolve the situation.