Creating a Safe and Healthy Workplace: Strategies to Prevent and Address Bullying

Creating a Safe and Healthy Workplace: Strategies to Prevent and Address Bullying

One of our team recently attended an HRNZ Canterbury event on Bullying, Harassment and Diversity in the Workplace. We thought their report might be of interest.

Worksafe NZ defines workplace bullying as repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards an individual or group, leading to physical or psychological harm.

Real or perceived harmful behaviour often exploits power imbalances, leaving targeted individuals feeling vulnerable, unprotected and powerless. People who are bullied are more likely to experience mental health problems, which can affect their overall wellbeing and even lead to physical illness.

Protecting yourself from bullying

Here are some proactive steps individuals can take to safeguard themselves against bullying:

1. Establish boundaries: Clearly communicate to others what you find acceptable.
2. Model positive behaviour: Do the right thing! Meet the expectations of your role and behave how you want others to behave towards you.
3. Build networks: Foster and grow your professional and personal relationships for support.
4. Plan responses: If you experience bullying or harassment, don’t react immediately. Plan your response, seek advice, then respond.

When confronted with bullying, approach the situation calmly and collaboratively. Explain to others how you feel about their behaviour and how it impacts you, and let them know how they can be supportive.

Measures employers can take to create the right environment

To foster a culture of well-being, employers can:

1. Integrate wellbeing into company strategy: Encourage senior leaders to support wellbeing, authentically.
2. Adopt a ‘culturally safe lens’: Rather than seeing culture as just ethnicity or race-based, recognise and appreciate that every individual has their own unique culture, shaped by personal experiences, values, and upbringing.
3. Review policies and procedures: Include zero-tolerance culture, examples of bullying, tiered processes for different levels of seriousness, and a range of different avenues for staff to report issues, concerns, bullying and harassment.
4. Provide training: Educate leaders and managers on mental health and cultural sensitivity.
5. Appoint wellness champions: Designate mental health first aiders and psych wellbeing specialists.
6. Conduct regular surveys: Monitor staff wellbeing through pulse checks, annual surveys and exit interviews.

Addressing bullying reports

When faced with reports of bullying:

1. Take all reports seriously: Investigate all comments, reports and complaints about bullying and harassment, and respond according to their level of seriousness, and in line with your policies and procedures.
2. Involve staff: Encourage suggestions for improving workplace culture.

The cost of inaction

Ignoring bullying can result in significant financial and cultural costs, including:

1. Sickness, absenteeism and low staff morale
2. Productivity decline
3. Turnover and recruitment challenges.

Prioritising mental health

Treat mental health the same as you treat physical health. Support and encourage individuals to seek professional help and take responsibility for their wellbeing.

By implementing these strategies, organisations can create a safe, supportive, and healthy work environment, promoting the wellbeing and productivity of all employees.