Bullying in any setting is wrong and harmful, but unfortunately, it is also a fact of life. If you think you are being bullied the information on these pages will help you. Any kind of bullying or harassment harms individuals and their employers, and all staff should be treated with dignity and respect at work.
The linked pages will help you if:
- You are being bullied
- You know someone else who is being bullied
- You are worried that you might be accused of bullying
- You want to help reduce or prevent bullying in your organisation.
What is bullying and harassment?
These terms are often used interchangeably but there is a subtle distinction – harassment is one type of behaviour that may constitute bullying.
Harassment is clearly defined under the European Commission Code of Practice on the Protection of the Dignity of Women and Men at Work. A definition of harassment is:
“Unwanted conduct affecting the dignity of men and women in the workplace. It may be related to age, sex, race, disability, religion, nationality or any personal characteristic of the individual, and may be persistent or an isolated incident. The key is that the actions or comments are viewed as demeaning and unacceptable to the recipient.”
Whatever we call it, all bullying is about the impact on the victim, in other words the effects of the bullying behaviour.