Tackling bullying and harassment In relation to dealing with displays of intolerance from work colleagues – for example, teasing or jokes or harassment around a colleague’s SO or RB - several types of good practice, drawn from participants’ organisations, were mentioned. Sometimes participants pointed out that they had been implemented as a result of problems, rather than to anticipate problems. These practices were: regular staff consultation about the types of issues coming up, and how they were best resolved; staff education to raise awareness of diversity issues, and teach managers how to challenges behaviours such as bullying and harassment; a clear message from the top about what was and what was not acceptable; and implementing this message by dismissing employees who behaved in an intolerant way. The two case examples below incorporate several of these strands. Case example 2 – tackling bullying and harassment (organisation anonymised) The HR department at this organisation identified that there was anecdotal evidence of homophobic undercurrents within the organisation. A training programme was introduced which will run through the whole organisation, and take three years to complete; there is one programme for managers, to teach them how to challenge and manage such behaviour, and one for all other employers. The training addresses diversity in general, but a lot of the conversation focuses in particular on sexual orientation. So far, in areas where the training has occurred, they are seeing more reported incidents of harassment. It is HR’s perception that these incidents are also being dealt with more appropriately by line managers, often informally, as opposed to inappropriately spiralling up to senior managers. Case example 3 – tackling bullying and harassment (organisation anonymised) As a result of a serious incident of racial discrimination, an organisation (on the back of recommendations by the Equality Rights Commission) introduced a working group, whereby managers and frontline staff meet several times a year, on a rotating basis. The purpose of these meetings is to go over best practice and issues in relation to diversity in the workplace and how to resolve them. Out of these meetings, training has been developed that is delivered to all the managers and frontline staff. They also have work-time ‘listen and learn’ sessions that are run for half an hour every week, for every employee throughout the business. In addition, they have set up a helpline run by an independent organisation, and have a panel of independent investigators who make recommendations on what needs to happen in particular cases. They have gone from being in a ‘dire state’ in relation to workplace harassment and bullying, to people knowing it ‘just won’t be tolerated’. A further good practice example was provided by a participant from Transport for London (TfL), who said that the organisation had funded the training of specialist trade union harassment representatives; specifically, four LGBT harassment representatives had recently been appointed at their employees’ union. Finally, having clear disciplinary and grievance policies in place, and advice for managers around implementing them was felt important. This is discussed below.
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