While the majority of your employees will be respectful, hardworking professionals, you may come across instances of bullying in the workplace.
Bullies can be hard to handle—especially if no one has come forward with concrete complaints about their behaviour. That doesn’t mean you should ignore the situation—bullies need to be dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner.
Here are just a few HR tips on how to handle bullying in the workplace.
Recognize That Not All Bullies Are Created Equal
Not all bullies are the same. You can’t apply the same logic to the workplace bully who is aggressive and violent as you would to the bully who is sending hurtful anonymous messages.
In some cases, such as with the violent bully, the best approach is …show more content…
Take Every Report Seriously
HR has a lot of responsibilities. However, you want your employees to rest assured you will do your best to help them when they run into problems.
Every year there are more and more reports about HR departments sweeping harassment under the rug. This can lead to resentment, unsafe working conditions, and even legal concerns if things go too far.
If you want to do the best by your employees, take every report of bullying seriously. Create thorough reports, investigate the complaint, and take action when needed.
Get the Team Involved
Depending on the type of bullying involved, it may be the best course of action to get your entire team involved to help combat it. Fostering a team atmosphere and encouraging people to support one another can go a long way in preventing workplace bullying.
This may mean scheduling team building exercises or arranging a seminar to outline what a healthy office culture looks like. In some instances, a bully may not even recognize their behaviour, and this could shine light on what is and isn’t appropriate in the workplace.
Talk to Each Party
Bullies can be hard to handle—especially if no one has come forward with concrete complaints about their behaviour. That doesn’t mean you should ignore the situation—bullies need to be dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner.
Here are just a few HR tips on how to handle bullying in the workplace.
Recognize That Not All Bullies Are Created Equal
Not all bullies are the same. You can’t apply the same logic to the workplace bully who is aggressive and violent as you would to the bully who is sending hurtful anonymous messages.
In some cases, such as with the violent bully, the best approach is …show more content…
Take Every Report Seriously
HR has a lot of responsibilities. However, you want your employees to rest assured you will do your best to help them when they run into problems.
Every year there are more and more reports about HR departments sweeping harassment under the rug. This can lead to resentment, unsafe working conditions, and even legal concerns if things go too far.
If you want to do the best by your employees, take every report of bullying seriously. Create thorough reports, investigate the complaint, and take action when needed.
Get the Team Involved
Depending on the type of bullying involved, it may be the best course of action to get your entire team involved to help combat it. Fostering a team atmosphere and encouraging people to support one another can go a long way in preventing workplace bullying.
This may mean scheduling team building exercises or arranging a seminar to outline what a healthy office culture looks like. In some instances, a bully may not even recognize their behaviour, and this could shine light on what is and isn’t appropriate in the workplace.
Talk to Each Party