If a colleague or supervisor is bullying you or otherwise treating you inappropriately, follow these steps:
For the sake of further proceedings, it’s important to document from the beginning the forms of harassment, its frequency, and the actions you have taken.
If internal workplace measures do not resolve the issue, contact your union representative, occupational safety delegate, or the regional occupational safety authority of the Regional State Administrative Agency.
If necessary, seek help from occupational health services, explain the situation, and request sick leave.
A supervisor has a legal obligation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act to take action if they become aware that a subordinate is harassing a colleague and that this harassment is affecting the person’s health. Such reports must always be taken seriously - failure to act may constitute an occupational safety offense.
Even if there is no confirmed health impact, the situation should still be investigated. Information about harassment may come from the employee directly or via occupational health, the safety organization, union representatives, or other staff. Every workplace should establish clear procedures for handling harassment and inappropriate behavior - even if no such incidents have occurred.
A report of inappropriate treatment from a subordinate must always be taken seriously. First, it’s often difficult for individuals to come forward, and the situation may have been ongoing for years. The person may be on the verge of emotional collapse. Second, the experience of being bullied is real to the person, even if it may not meet the legal definition of harassment or inappropriate treatment. Dismissing the issue will never resolve it. If even one employee feels bullied, it affects the well-being of the entire work community.
Supervisors are legally required to intervene in health-threatening inappropriate treatment once they become aware of it. Neglecting this responsibility can, in severe cases, result in criminal liability.
The parties involved often have different views about what happened and why, so careful preparation is essential. Start by speaking to the parties separately. If necessary, include external support persons such as the occupational safety delegate, union representative, or an occupational health professional.
Ask the parties to describe the harassment in terms of specific actions, behaviors, or omissions. Inappropriate conduct should not be defined in terms of attitudes, personality clashes, or character traits, as these do not reflect violations of work responsibilities. Document the facts clearly.
The parties’ perceptions often differ. It’s important that both sides feel the process is neutral. If you have preconceived opinions about either party, ask, if both agree, for an impartial person to join the discussions. This is also advisable if either party expresses concern about your impartiality, even if you believe yourself to be neutral.
Compare the facts, the actions, behavior, or omissions of the alleged harasser, to the responsibilities agreed upon at the workplace or required by law. Occupational health professionals can help assess whether the conduct is causing harm to the reported victim. Based on the facts, determine what measures are necessary to resolve the situation.
If you determine that inappropriate behavior is taking place, try to get the parties to agree in writing to stop the conduct and to commit to certain behaviors going forward. As a supervisor, you have the authority to prohibit inappropriate conduct in the workplace. If instructions and warnings do not work, you have the right to take disciplinary action, such as issuing a warning. Ensure all employees are treated equally in similar situations. Make sure the workplace understands the disciplinary procedures for serious violations. Inappropriate conduct must be addressed directly, promptly, and effectively.
It's important to identify what workplace issues are enabling inappropriate conduct. Even if the situation does not objectively qualify as bullying, the experience is real for the affected person. Often, underlying issues stem from work arrangements, such as excessive workloads, overtime, communication breakdowns, deadline pressure, quality issues, or customer complaints. By addressing the root causes of workplace disruption, the incidence of perceived mistreatment can be reduced.
Communicate the resolution to the rest of the workplace if it has relevance for the broader work community. Let the involved parties know in advance what information will be shared.
Bullying situations are often complex and difficult to resolve. People who have experienced bullying report that the worst responses include: holding meetings without prior notice or clarification of the facts, urging the person to tolerate the situation or change jobs, taking one side without due process, failing to follow through on agreed measures, assigning blame, or managing the issue without involving the affected parties.
Take care of your own well-being too. Support is available through occupational health services, for example.
Continue to monitor the situation to ensure the inappropriate behavior has ceased. Hold a follow-up meeting.
Workplace rules for proper behavior should be created in collaboration with all staff. Guidelines forgotten in a drawer won’t help anyone. Creating and effectively communicating behavioral guidelines is one of the most effective ways to prevent bullying.