Every employee in your organisation has the right to work without harassment or bulling of any kind, and as an employer, it is important that you are doing your part to ensure that this is the case.
And while most business leaders will acknowledge and accept this fact, many may be shocked to learn just how serious the problem of workplace bullying in Australia is.
According to a document released by Safety Consultants Australia in March last year, workplace bullying costs employers in Australia as much as $36 billion per annum.
This money comes from expenses and lost revenue incurred due to absent employees, productivity shortfalls and legal costs, and represents a serious problem in our workplaces.
Luckily, there are plenty of things that you can do in order to stamp out bullying in your business and create a better work environment for your employees.
First and foremost, you should endeavour to constantly be on the lookout for the signs of workplace bullying – including employee harassment, exclusion of certain individuals and unfair work allocation.
The Australian Human Rights Commission says bullying in the workplace can present itself in the form of hurtful remarks, sexual harassment, mind games, intimidation and physical violence.
These are all serious problems that employers need to be aware of and doing everything that they can to stamp out.
Another good way to identify whether workplace bullying might be a problem in your organisation is by conducting a tailored workplace bullying survey.
Your staff members might be too self-conscious or intimidated to approach you in person or via direct communication, but an employee survey gives them an easy, quick way to voice their concerns.
Employee satisfaction questionnaires are an essential tool for determining whether your staff members are happy and working to their potential, so you should not discount their value.
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