All members of staff are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect in their place of work. This means freedom from behaviour by colleagues that can be interpreted as bullying or harassment or that causes offence, and access to redress if such behaviour does arise. It also means standards of everyday behaviour that contribute to a working environment in which mutual respect and individual dignity are maintained.
Bullying and harassment
Behaviour can constitute bullying or harassment where: It violates the dignity of a staff member on the grounds of their race, colour, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, or age (the protected characteristics); Where it creates an intimidating, hostile and degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Individual or cumulative acts can seriously undermine the dignity, confidence, and work satisfaction to such an extent that it has an effect on job performance, and general happiness both inside and outside work.
Conduct becomes harassment if it persists and it has been made clear that it is regarded as offensive by the recipient or a witness to the conduct, although a single offensive act can amount to harassment if it is sufficiently serious.
Bullying and harassment can be further defined in the following ways:
Harassment based on race, colour or ethnic origin
Harassment based on race, colour or ethnic origin is conducted at work directed towards a colleague by another colleague or group of colleagues which is racist in nature, and which is regarded as unwelcome or offensive by the recipient or a witness.
The following examples that illustrate such conduct, though this is not an exhaustive list:
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is a conduct directed towards a colleague by another colleague or a group of colleagues which is of a sexual nature, or which is based on a colleague’s gender, and which is regarded as unwelcome or offensive to the recipient or a witness.
The following are examples which illustrate such conduct, though this is not an exhaustive list:
Harassment based on disability
Harassment based on disability is conduct directed towards a colleague by another colleague or group of colleagues which is based on the colleague’s disability or association with someone who has a disability and which is unwelcome to the recipient or a witness.
The following are examples which illustrate such behaviour, though this is not an exhaustive list:
Harassment based on sexual orientation
Harassment based on sexual orientation is conduct directed towards a colleague by another colleague or group of colleagues which is based on the sexuality of the colleague and which is unwelcome by the recipient or a witness.
The following are examples which illustrate such behaviour, though this is not an exhaustive list:
Harassment based on age
Harassment based on age is conduct directed towards a colleague by another colleague or group of colleagues which is based on the age of the colleague and which is unwelcome by the recipient or a witness.
The following are examples which illustrate such behaviour, though this is not an exhaustive list:
Detrimental behaviour because of being associated with a protected characteristic
Bullying and harassment may not be based on the fact that a colleague belongs to a particular group, but simply because the individual has been singled out for such treatment or associates with someone of a protected characteristic. For example this would include claiming someone is gay when they are not or making fun of someone who has a disabled relative. The bullying and harassment may take the following forms, though again this is not intended as an exhaustive list:
Standards of work behaviour
What to do if you consider you or a colleague is subject to bullying or harassment
The practice is committed to ensuring that there is no harassment or bullying in the workplace. Allegations of harassment will be treated as a disciplinary matter, although every situation will be considered on an individual basis and in accordance with the principles of the practice’s grievance and disciplinary procedures, a copy of which is available from David Kelly
Your first step is to decide whether you can deal with the inappropriate behaviour informally, for example if the act concerned is relatively minor, isolated or clearly unintentional. In these situations it is possible that the matter can be resolved immediately by letting your colleague know that the behaviour in question is unacceptable to you and should be avoided in the future.
If you feel uncomfortable about raising the issue directly with your colleague, or if you consider the behaviour is more serious because it was deliberate, part of a persistent pattern, or serious in nature, or has been repeated despite having discussed a previous incident informally, then you should report the matter in the first instance to David Kelly. If it is inappropriate to discuss the matter with David Kelly, or if you are dissatisfied with David Kelly’s action, then you should seek advice, as appropriate from: