One of the major issues plaguing any workplace is workplace bullying, which has brought enormous consequences for its victims and the workplace itself. Studies have shown that a significant percentage of workers have experienced bullying, and even now, when remote work is a standard, bullying persists.
As a manager, you need to lead the charge in fighting against any form of harassment and bullying in the workplace. To get you started, here are several tips that you can apply in your workplace:
Enact An Anti-Bullying Policy
Before any action can be taken against bullying, you need to ensure your workplace has an anti-bullying policy. This policy should be written to define bullying and the corresponding penalties for those who will be discovered guilty of bullying others.
It must also reassure that investigations will be done promptly and that there are avenues available for victims to file their complaints anonymously. If you do not know how to write the policy while keeping it compliant with the law, ask your HR department to assist.
Always Be Serious With Any Bullying Report
As mentioned above, the policy must investigate every bullying report seriously. When people see that you are doing it seriously, incidents will drastically be reduced and, eventually, improve the workplace.
Offer Training
Sometimes, bullying persists in the workplace because employees and managers alike are not sure how to identify the signs that bullying persists. Offer training sessions so everyone knows what to look for and take the necessary steps to get it reported.
Be An Example
As the manager, you need to show your employees how you will deal with the issue properly so they can follow suit. When disciplining an offender, doing it in private as doing it in public will only make people think it is bullying and create more negativity. When you praise the team, doing it in public can help foster positivity and inspire others to work hard for the betterment of the rest of the team.
Push For Diversity, Inclusion And Equity Programs
Bullying often occurs because of a lack of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. To respond to this problem, building a company culture that embraces programs that will support inclusion and equality for everyone, regardless of their position and background, is best. Actively enforcing these programs can also reduce harassment and bullying.
Maintain Anti-Bullying Policies Even Outside The Workplace
It is essential to continue enforcing your anti-bullying policies outside the workplace, especially during events and outings. Ensure to cite offending employees in private so clients and customers are not alarmed by the issue.
Dealing with workplace bullying is always tricky because a wrong accusation can cause complications for the entire team. Bullying can even happen on the side, and if people are not trained accordingly, it may continue to persist, no matter how many policies are in place. Look at your current workplace environment and follow the steps above to organise your fight against bullying. With effort and cooperation by all, you will be able to see results.
For more bullying and workplace abuse articles, read up on these: Identifying The Different Types Of Workplace Bullying Whisper: I Slept With My Bully 8 Signs Your Coworkers or Boss Are Gaslighting You
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