Workplace bullying

Bullying is behaviour from a person or group that’s unwanted and makes you feel uncomfortable. Bullying is not against the law, but harassment is. This is when the unwanted behaviour is related to one of the following:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Gender
• Sexual orientation

How to handle bullying

If you feel comfortable talking to the person it can be a good idea to explain how their behaviour makes you feel. In some cases the person upsetting you might not realise the effect of their actions. However if you do not feel comfortable talking to the person face to face, and this is completely understandable, you could ask for support. This could be: your boss, another manager, someone in HR, a counsellor, safeguarding officer or your trade union / staff representative. It is a good idea to keep a record of the bullying, including: how the bullying made you feel, dates and times it happened, any witnesses, any evidence, for example emails or screenshots of social media posts etc.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is bullying with the use of digital technologies. It can take place on social media, messaging platforms, gaming platforms and mobile phones. It is repeated behaviour, aimed at scaring, angering or shaming those who are targeted. Cyberbullying leaves a digital footprint – a record that can prove useful and provide evidence to help stop the abuse.