What Constitutes Bullying In The Workplace & What Can I Do About It?

A bully can be defined as a person who “habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those who they perceive as vulnerable”, however it is possible to be bullied by a group of people, not just one person. Bullying may not be face to face, as it can be online, on social media, in emails or on calls.

If you are being bullied at work you are likely to experience feelings of being intimidated, harassed, coerced, undermined, humiliated, or abused.

It is possible to be a victim of bullying by a more senior colleague/s or by someone working at the same grade/s as you, or by a junior/s.

Examples of bullying include:

• malicious rumours being spread about a person
• humiliating, threatening or offensive comments or messages
• a person being given a heavier workload than everyone else
• ignoring or excluding a person
• a person consistently being put down in meetings
• someone at the same or a more junior level undermining another’s authority
• consistent disrespect
• consistent refusal to complete tasks requested by a sonior
• deliberately doing things to make another seem unskilled or unable to do their job
• a person being denied training or promotion opportunities

Bullying & The Law

Although bullying can cause a great deal of physical and emotional harm, it is not against the law. However, harassment is.

Harassment is when bullying behaviour is related to:

• age
• sex
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sexual orientation

What Can I Do About Bullying And Harassment In The Workplace?

It is important to remember that you are not weak or to blame for someone choosing to bully or harass you. Employers are responsible for preventing bullying and harassment, and they are liable for any harassment suffered by their employees.

Do keep a record of when bullying or harassment occurred, what was done or said, and if there were any witnesses.

You may wish to try to sort out the problem informally by explaining to the perpetrator that their actions are unacceptable, and why; however, if you are not able to resolve the situation it is important to talk to your line manager, your human resources (HR) department, and trade union representative if you have one.

If the situation is not resolved, you can make a formal complaint using your employer’s grievance procedure.

If you are still being harassed you can take legal action at an employment tribunal.

If you believe that you have been a victim of bullying or harassment at work and feel that you need to progress to a tribunal or other legal avenue, please contact us on Bingley 01274 723858, Ilkley 01943 601173 or Bradford 01274 735511, to discuss how we can best assist you and progress with your case.