Even if you love your job and get paid well by your employer, being harassed or bullied on the job can cause a multitude of emotional and psychological issues that can have lifelong consequences. By law, your employer needs to provide you with a safe and bully-free environment in which to work. When you think of a bully you often thing of kids shouting mean names at one another or being physically abusive. But bullying doesn’t end in the schoolyard; many of these child bullies grow up to be adult bullies and it continues into the workplace. Employment solicitors in Portsmouth can help you understand your rights and work with your employer to make sure the bullying stops.Dealing with Harassment in the WorkplaceEven if you love your job and get paid well by your employer, being harassed or bullied on the job can cause a multitude of emotional and psychological issues that can have lifelong consequences. By law, your employer needs to provide you with a safe and bully-free environment in which to work. When you think of a bully you often thing of kids shouting mean names at one another or being physically abusive. But bullying doesn’t end in the schoolyard; many of these child bullies grow up to be adult bullies and it continues into the workplace. Employment solicitors in Portsmouth can help you understand your rights and work with your employer to make sure the bullying stops.
Harassment Defined
Bullying and harassment is a serious accusation; before you approach your employer, you must understand exactly what harassment is. It is defined as the repeated and health-harming mistreatment by one or more perpetrators. It is conduct that is humiliating, threatening, and/or intimidating. It may also involve work interference (sabotage) which prevents work from getting completed. It can also involve verbal abuse.
Dealing with workplace bullies
While you may not be able to control the bully’s behaviour, you can control your own response. Let the other person know you don’t appreciate his or her comments or bullying behaviour. Try to put some space between you; if you work closely together and you still feel bullied and harassed, the next step is to go to your superior and let them know what’s going on.
If your direct superior isn’t able to resolve the issue, the next step is to go to Human Resources. They have an obligation to talk to the other party and investigate your claim.
Further action
If you feel that you’re not getting the results you deserve (i.e. the bully isn’t being dealt with accordingly) then you have other courses of action available. A C Employment Solicitors Limited can help you come up with an action plan that will suit your needs.