Behaviour, settings and examples
Harassment may involve threatening or insulting language, gestures, cyberbullying, sexual harassment or stalking. It can occur by email, messaging or social media, at client premises or on a business trip, and involve colleagues, managers, customers, contractors, interns or volunteers. The document illustrates repeated suggestive emails to a subordinate and a vulgar online attack accessible to colleagues; legal consequences depend on facts.
Values and nine management principles
Mutual respect, people-centredness, empathy and cultural understanding support prevention. The advisory’s management principles are zero tolerance, leadership commitment, shared responsibility, inclusion in WSH risk management, early prevention, confidentiality, impartiality, non-retaliation and accountability through records. Treating harassment as merely private or assuming prevention wastes money ignores morale, safety, turnover and reputational costs.
Policy and training
Consult workers/unions on a policy stating prohibited conduct, leadership commitment, examples, reporting routes, investigation/grievance handling and consequences. Communicate it through induction, handbooks, intranet and meetings and review after incidents. Managers/HR need investigation, conflict and support skills; all staff need recognition and reporting knowledge. For public-facing roles consider signs, lighting, CCTV, security and access controls.
Report, investigate and close
Provide multiple routes including a neutral alternative when the supervisor is involved, and safe anonymous reporting where practical. Use trained impartial investigators, set a timetable, interview sensitively, review evidence, update parties and allow appeal. Record the process. Apply corrective action, monitor recurrence and support affected people with counselling or interim work/leave arrangements.
Options for affected people
Prioritise safety, seek help and preserve messages, screenshots or other evidence. Only if safe and reasonable, tell the person to stop or approach with a trusted companion. Report to management, HR or a neutral party; unions/professional bodies can assist. The advisory also describes police and civil protection routes under harassment law. Use current court procedures and requirements rather than its old web addresses. Annex A provides a sample policy and Annex B resource pathways.