Advice on bullying at work

Bullying at work can take shape or form in many different ways. If you feel as though you are experiencing bullying in the workplace, this can be a very devastating and distressing issue and bullying can affect your emotional health. You may be feeling very low and anxious at the thought of going to work and facing the individual or group that may be subjecting you to this and the bullying may also be affecting family life. Read our advice articles below for help and support

 

Bullying itself is not against the law, but harassment is. This is when the unwanted behaviour is related to one of the following:

• age

• sex

• disability

• gender reassignment

• marriage and civil partnership

• pregnancy and maternity

• race

• religion or belief

• sexual orientation

Employees should see if they can sort out the problem informally first. If they cannot, they should talk to their:

• manager

• human resources (HR) department

• trade union representative

If this does not work, they can make a formal complaint using their employer’s grievance procedure. If this does not work and they’re still being harassed, they can take legal action at an employment tribunal.

They could also call the Acas (Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service) helpline for advice:

Acas helpline
Telephone: 0300 123 1100
Textphone: 18001 0300 123 1100 
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm