RURAL PROFESSIONALS
Employment Talk by Matt Jones
Is workplace bullying an issue on your farm? It stresses staff, corrodes team morale and puts the squeeze on overall productivity. Bullying and harassment can put an unwanted strain on the culture you worked so hard to build. A workplace hazard, harassment and bullying can be subtle or outward, and have detrimental effects, short or long term, to physical and mental wellbeing. How are bullying and harassment defined? Harassment includes unwelcome comments, a conduct or gesture that is insulting, intimidating, malicious, degrading, threatening, racist or offensive. Whether it is a repeated or a singular event it can be enough to alter the performance and health of your staff members. Bullying is more sustained unreasonable behaviour which is often intended to humiliate or undermine the recipient, but is not specifically unlawful. In February, WorkSafe NZ released best practice guidelines ‘Preventing and Responding to Workplace Bullying’ clarifying
definitions and explaining the debilitating effects of bullying, and the consequences for individuals and organisations. I’d strongly recommend interested employers familiarise themselves with this document, available on here: www. business.govt.nz/worksafe/ information-guidance/allguidance-items/bullyingguidelines/workplace-bullying What are your obligations as an employer? New Zealand law dictates that employers are obliged to create a safe and secure environment for their employees, and take all reasonable practicable steps to manage hazards and avoid exposing employees to unnecessary risk of physical injury or psychological harm. Employers, who allow these unwelcome behaviours to continue in the workplace, can risk breaching the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, the Employment Relations Act 2000 and the Human Rights Act 1993. Employers who bully and
harass A personal grievance can be submitted against an employer if they directly or indirectly subject the employee to behaviour that is unwelcome (to their knowledge, or not) and by its nature or through repetition has a compromising effect on the employee’s employment, job performance or satisfaction. Prevention is better than cure Emphasis needs to be on both employees and employers to respond immediately before a situation goes too far. Most farm owners and managers I’m sure, would prefer prevention and workplace based solutions over mediation and prosecutions. Tips for handling potential problems on your farm: Develop reporting and response policies and procedures and familiarise your staff with these. Appoint a designated contact person and have employment agreements and codes of conduct in place, with processes that prevent and measure bullying behaviours.
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