A client recently got in touch after receiving a complaint about bullying from one of their team members. The employee felt intimidated by a colleague's behaviour and didn’t know who to speak to or what would happen if they did. The manager wanted to deal with it promptly and fairly, but wasn’t confident about the steps or what policies should apply.
Using my Bullying & Harassment Toolkit and Grievance Toolkit, plus my tailored advice, we built a full response—giving the manager clarity, protecting the complainant, and making sure all actions were well-documented and fair.
Preparation – Laying the Groundwork
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Developing Clear Policies
We started by putting the right policies in place. The client used my Bullying and Harassment Policy Template to set a clear zero-tolerance stance, explaining what behaviours would be considered bullying or harassment—whether verbal, physical, or digital—and what consequences would follow.
They also introduced a formal Grievance Policy using my toolkit, which clearly set out how employees could raise concerns and how those concerns would be handled. I advised that both policies be referenced in employment contracts and included in onboarding so expectations were clear from day one.
- Communicating
