Bullying

Bullying is a community problem that exists in schools, workplaces and other organisations.

Bullying is repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed to an employee or group of employees that creates a risk to health and safety.

WorkSafe's annual research consistently shows 14 per cent of Victorian workers experienced bullying.

As well as creating a risk to health and safety, bullying can impact an organisation through reduced productivity, staff turnover and legal costs.

The WorkSafe guide, Preventing and addressing bullying at work, will assist people with duties under occupational health and safety (OHS) to comply with those laws in relation to bullying at work. The following tools can be used to help implement the advice in the guide: What to do if bullying happens to you, Employer checklist - preventing and responding to bullying at work and the Bullying risk indicator.

This publication provides advice applicable to any workplace in Victoria.

It contains information for employers and employees (including volunteers) in any job or industry.

This replaces part one of the 2003 WorkSafe Guidance Note Prevention of bullying and violence at work.

Sample policies and procedures are under development.

What to do if bullying happens to you

What you can do

Below are a number of actions you take if you feel you are experiencing bullying at work. The action/s you choose will depend upon the nature of the bullying and your workplace.
  • If you can, tell the person who is behaving inappropriately that you are offended and want it to stop.
  • Get advice from your health and safety representative (HSR) and/or bullying contact officer.
  • Keep a record of events, including the name of people involved (eg witnesses).Make sure the records focus on the facts of the situation (what happened, including dates and times, and if possible, copies of any documents).
  • Use the workplace or OHS procedure to report the situation.
  • Seek professional counselling and/or advice.
  • Talk to people you trust at your workplace (a supervisor, manager, HSR or someone from human resources).

How can WorkSafe help me?

Employees experiencing bullying at work (or who have left a job because of bullying) can contact the WorkSafe Victoria Advisory Service (phone 1800 136 089). Other people (eg HSRs, union representatives, relatives) can contact the Advisory Service for an employee experiencing bullying.

The Advisory Service can provide information on:

  • bullying and how to prevent it
  • how to raise the issue of bullying in the workplace
  • how to initiate a workplace intervention by a WorkSafe inspector where appropriate.

What an inspector can do

The action taken by an inspector during a workplace intervention will depend on the nature of the bullying and the workplace and can include:
  • talking to/interviewing complainants and witnesses
  • talking to/interviewing the employer/management representative
  • attending the workplace to make enquiries, including reviewing relevant documentation
  • examining what measures are in place at a workplace to prevent bullying
  • providing advice on how to comply with OHS laws
  • enforcing remedial action to be taken where there are breaches to OHS laws
  • recommending a comprehensive investigation to determine if a breach of OHS laws has occurred and whether it may warrant prosecution (or alternative punitive action).

 

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