Bullying, harassment and sexual harassment are words which strike fear into the minds of most Managers. These can be some of the most difficult and distracting Employee relations issues for an Organisation to deal with, and can present exposure to serious liability and bad press for an Organisation where they are not dealt with correctly. Investigations into these issues can be time consuming, and even where issues are dealt with through the necessary procedures, bad feeling can continue to permeate through the Organisation in the future. Where issues are not managed correctly, the Organisation may also face liability under a number of pieces of legislation.
Bullying, harassment and sexual harassment at work are issues that face almost every Organisation at one time or another. Therefore this section aims to provide practical advice on how to reduce the possibility of these issues arising, and to provide procedures to address them where they do. Following the steps outlined in this section will assist every Employer in ensuring that their Organisation reduces their exposure to liability in workplace bullying, harassment and sexual harassment related claims.