An Implementation Guide to Combating Workplace Harassment in Australia

Safe Work Australia has created new guidelines to provide practical solutions to business owners to help them prevent bullying. Under WHS laws, employers must proactively look after their employees to manage risk at work. In this blog, we will talk about how business owners can curb harassment in the workplace at its roots. So let’s continue reading to no more.

What is workplace bullying?

This is a pattern of mistreatment from other people in the workplace that can cause physical or mental harm. It includes abuses like verbal, nonverbal, or psychological. It can also include humiliation. The employment laws in Perth state that when this abuse happens in a repeated and unreasonable manner, it is considered to be a crime. Some examples of such behavior, whether intentional or unintentional, include but are not limited to:

• Insulting, offensive or abusive languages
• Aggressive and intermediate in conduct
• Humiliating or belittling comments
• Denying access to information or resources to harm the workers’ performance
• Withholding information that is important for an employee’s performance
• Unjustified criticism
• Deliberately excluding workers from workplace activities
• Practical jokes to humiliate people
• Victimisation
• Setting unreasonable deadlines
• Spreading malicious rumours

How do we identify workplace bullying?

Here is a process that you can follow to identify workplace bullying:

• You can consult with your workers regularly and check whether they are facing such issues.
• You can ask for feedback when the employee leaves your company. For example, you can hold exit interviews and discuss if they have faced such issues while working in your firm. The employment lawyers in Perth can help you out by making strategic interview questions so that you can get a clearer picture.
• Seeking feedback from managers or supervisors can provide you with important insights about what is going on.
• You can monitor incident reports, worker compensation claims or staff turnovers. Additionally, looking at the grievance records or sudden unexplained changes will give you a comprehensive insight into what is happening with your employees. If you hire a workplace harassment lawyer, they can help you look into the grievances.
• You can observe the changes that are taking place in workplace relationships between workers, customers, and managers.

How can business owners manage workplace bullying?

The employer must see that health and safety risks in a workplace are eliminated as far as possible. If this is not viable, then such risk must be mitigated. Proactive steps must be taken to identify unreasonable behavior early to reduce the risk of workplace bullying. Monitoring and reviewing are some effective control measures. The owner can make policies and procedures to prevent such crimes. A workplace harassment lawyer can help them in making these policies.

For example, contractual workers may be exposed to workplace bullying by full-time employees or vice versa. In such situations, the manager must curb such negative behaviors. The owner can take an approach to investigating and reporting such incidents.

Here are some ways to control such risks:

• Management commitment

Effective leaders act as role models while setting the standards for workplace behavior with their conduct. This sets a clear example of how serious the organization is about preventing workplace bullying. If you want to foster a positive work culture where unreasonable behavior is not tolerated, you can seek the help of workplace harassment lawyers in Perth.

• Setting the standard of your workplace

You can enforce clear standards through a code of conduct or a policy outlining what is and what is not appropriate. It must also reference the management action that can be taken if the rules are not followed. The policy must be written and developed by consulting the best employment lawyer.

• Designing safe systems of work

Clearly defining the job and seeking regular employee feedback can reduce such behaviors. Moreover, it is also suggested that workers be provided with the resources and information they require to carry out their tasks effectively. The Perth employment lawyers opine that employee assistance programs during stressful periods can also be beneficial.

• Creating proper reporting and response procedures

Negative behaviors like bullying must not be tolerated and reported early. If the employees feel that they are going through such difficulties, they will take steps if they know the reporting process is transparent.

Wrapping up

If you are a business owner looking to safeguard your employees, these are some ways you can implement to ensure a safe place for your employees. Other than that, contacting the Employment Lawyers in your area is advisable. They can help you compile policies to keep such negative or culture in check.