Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace: Why You Should Train Your Employees to prevent Bullying an

The workplace is theoretically a place of productivity, where adults can gather to work towards a common goal. However, sometimes bullying and harassment in the workplace can get in the way. This is partially because bullying can be difficult to define, when it is not super extreme. It's important for employers to train their employees about what is considered to be unacceptable behavior in the workplace, so that there is no question of what type of conduct is allowed. This will help eliminate some of the grey areas of bullying, such as spreading rumors, ridiculing or excluding coworkers, or making threats about job security with no foundation.

Other forms of bullying and harassment in the workplace to be aware of include unwelcome sexual advances, overbearing supervision or abuse of power, and blocking promotion opportunities. Although most people think of bullying being a violent, in-your-face activity, today's bullying can take the form of nasty emails being sent, visual images, or phone harassment. It's vital to train your employees to recognize all of these different forms of bullying and harassment, so that they can determine when and how to take action and defend themselves.
There are numerous benefits to providing a safe haven from bullying and harassment in the workplace. By training employees how to recognize the signs of harassment as well as how to effectively deal with them, you can prevent low morale and employee relations. Bullying can lead to a loss of respect for managers or supervisors, absences from work, and even resignations. As a whole, it can drag down the company and lead to low productivity levels and damages to the company's reputation as a poor or uncomfortable place to work.

To allow your employees to thrive, they must feel respected and safe at work. Offering training in how to contend with bullying and harassment in the workplace is the first step towards showing that you have a zero tolerance policy for this type of behavior. Oftentimes, bullies may not know that what they are doing is unacceptable, if they see it as a joke. By teaching them that this is not part of your company policy, you will give all employees the tools they need to succeed in the workplace. As a result you will raise morale and productivity, while offering a safe, healthy, and respectful work environment for everyone in the organization.