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How to investigate a complaint of workplace bullying
1. Viewpoint
"In earlier times, people were able to leave a job if they were bullied. With a shrinking job market, resignation is not a realistic option - which leads to increasing complaints of this type of behaviour."
2. Don't forget
Consider these three points:
- The time, expense, and stress of formal investigations can be avoided if conciliation and mediation form part of your early strategy.
- When crisis point is reached - and a formal complaint is often a good indicator of this - the complainant is often afraid to work with or face the bully. You may need to separate the pair from each other’s influence, interaction, even eye contact, until the formal investigation concludes and approp-riate action is taken.
- Accused bullies should be treated justly, and not be assumed to be guilty unless and until the case is proven.
3. Here's an idea
As part of your anti-bullying policy implementation training, your employees should be encouraged to consider the following before making a complaint…
- Is the behaviour I am concerned about ‘bullying’, ‘less favourable treatment’ and ‘unreasonable and inappropriate’?
- Has the behaviour I am concerned about been repeated?
- Have I informed the other person that the behaviour is unacceptable …
