Comcare - Australian Goverment
Comcare - Australian Goverment
Putting you first at the centre of what we do. Keeping you healthy and safe at work. Supporting you when you are harmed at work. Ensuring your scheme works and is sustainable.

Frequently asked questions - bullying

What is workplace bullying?

Workplace bullying can be defined as repeated, unreasonable or inappropriate behaviour directed towards a worker, or a group of workers, that creates a risk to health and safety.

A workplace situation can be identified as bullying if a worker or workers are:

  • harmed
  • intimidated
  • threatened
  • victimised
  • undermined
  • offended
  • degraded
  • humiliated

While some workplace bullying may involve verbal abuse and physical violence, bullying can also be subtle intimidation with inappropriate comments about personal appearance, constant criticisms, isolation of workers from others and unrealistic, embarrassing or degrading work demands. Workplace bullying can also be carried out via letters, email, telephone text messages and social networking sites.

What are the possible effects of workplace bullying?

Bullying can cause a significant harm to a person’s health, safety and well being and lead to serious psychological injury. In extreme situations, there is also the risk of occupational violence.

An individual's reactions to bullying may include any combination of the following:

  • distress, anxiety, panic attacks or sleep disturbance
  • impaired concentration or ability to make decisions
  • loss of self-esteem and confidence
  • a sense of isolation or withdrawal from the workplace
  • physical illness (including digestive problems, skin conditions, headache and musculoskeletal disorders)
  • psychological injury
  • deteriorating relationships at home
  • depression and risk of suicide

Organisational costs of bullying

Bullying has substantial costs to organisations, with damaging effects on client service, workplace and team relations, and productivity.

It can undermine business efficiency and increase a range of costs including long-term sick leave, staff turnover and replacement costs.

What can I do about workplace bullying?

Every situation is different, however bullying can be stopped. How you handle bullying will depend on your particular work environment and the nature of the bullying. If you are bullied you can take action informally or follow a more formal approach. You should:

  • record exactly what has happened
  • talk to someone you trust
  • read your organisations bullying policies and procedures
  • understand your options, you may choose to:
    - do nothing
    - confront your bully if you feel able to do so
    - report the incident
  • You can seek advice from:
    - your manager/Human Resources/worker contact officer/health and safety representative/worker representative/employee assistance program
  • Above all:
    - remain calm
    - keep an ongoing record of events, and importantly…
    - don’t be a silent witness to Workplace Bullying

What isn’t workplace bullying?

An isolated incident of inappropriate or unreasonable behaviour may be offensive but as a one-off incident it is not considered to be bullying. However, since a PCBU has a duty to provide workers with a safe workplace and systems of work, single incidents of this type should not be ignored.

It is important to differentiate between a person’s legitimate authority at work and bullying. All PCBUs have a legal right to direct and control how work is done, and managers have a responsibility to monitor work flow and give feedback on performance.

If a worker has obvious performance problems, these should be identified and dealt with in a constructive way that does not involve personal insults or derogatory remarks. In situations where a worker is dissatisfied with management practices, the problem should also be raised in a manner that does not involve personal abuse.

Why does bullying go unreported?

Workers are less likely to report bullying if they:

  • don’t recognise bullying behaviour
  • have a lack of knowledge about bullying behaviours and their effects
  • are unsure about the correct procedure
  • don’t know where to seek help
  • fear retribution from the bully or bullies
  • feel intimidated or embarrassed
  • believe that bullying is part of the workplace culture
  • feel that nothing will change
  • feel that their opportunities for promotion in the organisation will be affected

Some workers may not be aware that the organisation they work for has established bullying prevention and management procedures and that their reports will be dealt with in a proper manner.

Even if a person does not complain about workplace bullying, they may still be offended or affected by the behaviour and the behaviour may still be unacceptable.

What are the duties of the PCBU under the WHS Act in relation bullying?

The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the WHS Act) requires PCBUs to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable a working environment in which workers are not exposed to hazards.

Workplace bullying should be treated as any other safety hazard at the workplace. If unreasonable or inappropriate behaviour, or the potential for such behaviour is identified, there is a high risk of psychological and/or physical harm. Therefore steps should be taken to stop the behaviour.

It is the duty of the PCBU to, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure that adequate systems are in place to prevent or stop the bullying behaviour. To address workplace bullying, or the potential for bullying, the PCBU should:

  • consult with workers and their health and safety representatives
  • implement adequate policies and procedures, which include procedures for reporting and investigating workplace bullying issues
  • appoint a contact person as a first contact point for enquiries, concerns and complaints
  • provide information and training on the relevant policies and procedures
  • monitor indicators of workplace bullying, including absence from work (sick leave, workers compensation leave, long service leave, unpaid work), turnover of staff and results of formal exit interviews

What are the duties of workers under the WHS Act in relation to bullying?

Workers should take reasonable care for their own safety and health at work. They should also avoid adversely affecting the safety or health of any person in the workplace through any act or omission. Every worker must be made aware of their duty not to place the safety and health of others at risk by engaging in bullying or, where they are in a position of authority, to take steps to stop bullying if and when it happens.

Workers should follow the organisations safety instructions, cooperate on work-related safety and health matters, use personal protective equipment provided and report any work-related injuries or anything that they consider to be a hazard in their workplace - this includes bullying.

Who can lodge a workplace bullying complaint to Comcare?

Any person may lodge a complaint with Comcare in relation to workplace bullying.

It is Comcare’s role to ensure that PCBUs and workers meet their obligations under the WHS Act. It is not the role of an inspector to become involved in the specifics of workplace bullying or to mediate between the parties.

In certain circumstances Comcare may decide to investigate alleged breaches of the WHS Act in relation to bullying. If this decision is taken the focus of the investigation will address the systems that the organisation has in place to prevent or manage workplace bullying, rather than whether or not the alleged bullying incident occurred. Comcare will generally only investigate specific incidents after all reasonable efforts have been made to resolve the situation internally.

We have a bullying culture at work. Is that acceptable?

Workplace bullying behaviour is not acceptable at any workplace. Even if a person does not complain about workplace bullying, they may still be offended and affected by the behaviour and the behaviour may still be unacceptable. This affect may have serious consequences to their well being over time.

Some individuals may initially be more tolerant of bullying than others. This does not mean the potential for harm is diminished. Bullying should not be regarded as normal workplace behaviour. Bullying can be stopped, and it should not be tolerated in any form.