SAFETY - Workplace bullying

WorkSafe Victoria defines workplace bullying as:

“Repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed toward an employee or group of employees, that creates a risk to health and safety.”

There are many different types of bullying behaviour, here are just a few examples:

Verbal: This could be calling names, insulting, teasing, and yelling.
Physical: Unwanted touching, pushing, hitting or other violence; interfering with/hiding or damaging someone’s possessions e.g. work uniform, phone.
Social: Gossiping, isolation, spreading rumours, ‘cyberbullying’ which could include posting nasty comments, forwarding or posting photographs, or using technology like Facebook, Twitter, chatrooms and SMS to bully.
Psychological: This could include stalking, scaring or intimidating someone.
Work specific: Always giving someone ‘the crap jobs’, having excessively high expectations of work to be performed, withholding the necessary tools to do the job properly (and then chastising a worker for not performing).

If you're being bullied...

tell the person to stop
use neutral language to respond to the bullying, like 'maybe' or 'that's what you think'
walk away
try to act unimpressed.

But if it's been going on for a while and things aren't getting better...

talk to your friends or workmates and ask for support
talk to your parents
talk to a supervisor or manager
talk to a union representative
call Kids Helpline, 1800 55 1800 or www.kidshelp.com.au a 24 hour, 7 day a week counselling service for Australian young people aged between 5 and 25 years.
call the WorkCover Advisory line in your state

            1800 136 089     VIC
            13 10 50             NSW
            13 18 55             SA
            1300 794 744     WA
            1300 362 128     QLD
            1300 776 572     TAS
            (02) 6207 3000   ACT
            1800 019 115     NT

If you see someone else being bullied...

tell the person acting like a bully to stop
talk to a supervisor or manager
don't watch or join in
try to change the subject
try to comfort and/or include the person who's being targeted
explain to the person being bullied that it's nothing to do with them—it's about the other person's behaviour.

Adapted with thanks from the National Centre Against Bullying www.ncab.org.au.

Links

IN THE NEWS: Tragic end for teen bullied at work

DEBATE: Should bullying be against the law?

ABC Radio National Background briefing: Bullying at work

Buck the Bully - share ideas to stop bullying at work

You are invited to use social media tools to speak up about bullying at work and learn more about how to stop it.

Start here with our factsheet to learn what bullying is about.

Use social media to learn more and have your say...

Make a comment on our blog

Tell us your stories in a survey

Follow the news about workplace bullying on Twitter

Go mobile with our interactive site for smartphones or our new iPhone app