Bullying at workplace.

 

What is workplace bullying?

Workplace bullying is verbal, physical, social, or psychological abuse by your employer (or manager), another person, or a group of people at work. 

Workplace bullying can happen anywhere, from offices to shops, cafes, restaurants, workshops, community groups, and government organisations. 

Workplace bullying can happen to volunteers, work experience students, interns, apprentices, and casual and permanent employees.

Some types of workplace bullying are criminal offenses. If you have experienced violence, assault, and stalking, you can report to the police.

What does bullying in the workplace look like?

• repeated hurtful remarks or attacks, or making fun of your work or you as a person (including your family, sex, sexuality, gender identity, race or culture, education, or economic background)  
• sexual harassment, mainly stuff like unwelcome touching and sexually explicit comments and requests that make you uncomfortable 
• excluding you or stopping you from working with people or taking part in activities that relate to your work
• playing mind games, ganging up on you, or other types of psychological harassment 
• intimidation (making you feel less important and undervalued)  
• giving you pointless tasks that have nothing to do with your job  
• giving you impossible jobs that can't be done in the given time or with the resources provided  
• deliberately changing your work hours or schedule to make it difficult for you 
• deliberately holding back information you need to get your work done properly
• pushing, shoving, tripping, and grabbing you in the workplace 
• attacking or threatening with equipment, knives, guns, clubs, or any other type of object that can be turned into a weapon  
• initiation or hazing - where you are made to do humiliating or inappropriate things to be accepted as part of the team.  

How bullying can affect your work

If you are being bullied at work, you might:

• be less active or successful   
• be less confident in your work 
• feel scared, stressed, anxious, or depressed 
• have your life outside of work affected, e.g., study, relationships 
• want to stay away from work 
• feel like you can’t trust your employer or the people who you work with
• lack confidence and happiness about yourself and your work 
• have physical signs of stress like headaches, backaches, sleep problems

What is not workplace bullying 

Some practices in the workplace may not seem fair but are not bullying.  

Your employer is allowed to transfer, demote, discipline, counsel, retrench or sack you (as long as they are acting reasonably). 

What you need to know if you are being bullied at work 

When you are being bullied, you must know there are things you can do and people who can help. 

You have the right to be in a safe workplace free from violence, harassment, and bullying.

Bullying and abuse

If you are under 16 years old, bullying and violence may also be child abuse. See the Law topic on child abuse under your state or territory for more information. 

Bullying and discrimination

Bullying may also be discrimination because of age, sex, pregnancy, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or other reasons. Sexual harassment and racial hatred are also against the law; for more information on what anti-discrimination laws cover and what you can do about it.

Responsibility of employers

Your employer has a legal responsibility to provide a safe workplace under Occupational Health and Safety and anti-discrimination laws. Employers have a duty to care for your health and well-being. An employer that allows bullying to occur in the workplace is not meeting this responsibility.