An important role for people managers is to provide a safe, respectful and productive work environment for their employees.
As of 2013, Worksafe BC has made it mandatory for all employers (regardless of their size) to have a Bullying and Harassment policy in place. With the new year underway, it is the perfect time for you to review your workplace policies and be proactive in preventing harassment in the workplace. Here are four things to keep in mind when going over your bullying and harassment policies:
Define what harassment and bullying is – Make sure there is a clear definition on what harassment or bullying is. Managers and employees need to understand what constitutes as workplace bullying so that it can a) be prevented b) properly reported if someone feels they are being bullied or harassed. A great place to start is looking at Workplace BC’s website for their definition on bullying and harassment
Have a procedure for handling complaints – Sometimes it can be easy for issues to fall through the cracks. Ensure you have procedures to track complaints and incidents and how to properly handle them when reported. Your procedures should include steps regarding how/when investigations will be conducted, what will be included in the process, the roles and responsibilities of HR, managers and other related employees such as witnesses, a response time to the complaint and how you can prevent future incidents from happening. Treat all complaints seriously and do your best to address the full complaint!
Provide adequate training for all employees – With all the time spent creating a policy to ensure a safe environment for your employees, they should have a chance to learn about it! All employees should understand how to interact with the policy and their rights and responsibilities within it. Employees should understand bullying and harassment is a serious issue that takes everyone’s effort to prevent. It is important that they are aware of how to report incidents and follow the guidelines of the policy.
Promote a healthy workplace! – The health and safety of your employees is extremely important. As an employer, you have an additional responsibility to ensure these policies are being followed. Set the right example and demonstrate how to be respectful through every interaction. Let employees know if they are behaving inappropriately and remind them of the current policies that are in place. Work together to create a positive workspace that is free from bullying and harassment
To learn more about instituting this mandatory Anti Harassment and Bullying Policy in your workplace, contact us today at hello@exalthrconsulting.com.
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