Safe Work Australia has updated two important publications around workplace bullying – their “Guide for preventing and responding to workplace bullying” and “Dealing with workplace bullying – a worker’s guide“.
Bullying in the workplace is a risk to worker’s health and safety, and can occur in any type of workplace.
Even with anti-discrimination and anti-bullying laws in place, the FairWork Commission has reported, for the quarter from January to March this year, there were 170 applications for an order to stop bullying at work lodged. Of the 170 applications, 77% of applications were due to a worker alleging unreasonable behaviour from their manager or a group of managers.
Workplace bullying is defined as repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers, that creates a risk to health and safety and/or involves discrimination, harassment or victimisation.
The up-dated guides from Safe Work Australia provide managers and workers with a better understanding on how to address and minimise the risk of workplace bullying, and, if it is happening, how the matter may be resolved. The second guide, “Dealing with workplace bullying – a worker’s guide“, provides information for workers and managers who believe they may be experiencing or witnessing bullying, as well as information for those who have had a bullying report made against them.
It is said that prevention is better than cure, and these guides assist businesses with steps to prevent bullying in the workplace from occurring and responding to it quickly if it does occur. The longer such unacceptable behaviour is allowed to continue, the more difficult it is to address.
Safe Work Australia’s guides can be found by following the links below:
- Guide for preventing and responding to workplace bullying
- Dealing with workplace bullying – a worker’s guide
