What is bullying in the workplace?
Workplace bullying is verbal, physical, social or psychological abuse by your employer, another person or group of people at work. Workplace bullying can occur in any time of workplace, ranging from offices to workshops and government organisations. Volunteers, work experience students, interns, apprentices, casual and permanent employees can all be exposed to workplace bullying.
What does workplace bullying look like in reality?
Workplace bullying can come in many shapes and forms. It ranges from hurtful remarks or attacks about you as a person (including family, sex, sexuality, race etc) and unwelcome touching and sexually explicit comments. It can also be exclusion from working with certain people or taking part in certain activities, other colleagues ganging up on you and managers giving you pointless tasks that have nothing to do with your role or tasks that are impossible to complete with the resources provided.
What are your options?
It is important that your employer is aware of the issues, if you need help putting your complaint in writing or speaking with your employer, we can assist you in speaking with your employer or talking you through other options.
How do our employment lawyers help you?
We can formulate a plan to try and stop the bullying and advise your employer of their exposure. You can pass on the burden of starting conversations about the bullying to us and as your solicitors we can advocate the best possible outcome for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
The person bullying me is my boss, who do I approach about this?
If the company you work for has a hr team then we recommend that you speak with them first.
I am being accused of bullying someone but I know I am not bullying them; how do I show my employer that I am not?
Firstly, it is important to get the allegations particularised so when you do respond you know exactly what you are responding to.
I have tried to speak with my employer about bullying in the workplace but they have just ignored me, what do I do now?
You may need some help in communicating with your employer or we can help you by talking you through your matter and establish if you have a action against your employer.