Harassment and bullying policy

Harassment and bullying policy

What is harassment in the workplace?

Harassment is any unwanted conduct that violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.  Harassment can be physical or non-physical (verbal or nonverbal) and may be directed at an individual or a group.  The act itself and its impact on the individual determines what constitutes harassment, not the intentions of the perpetrator.  The principal of reasonableness should be applied in all instances.

What is bullying in the workplace?

Bullying can be defined as persistent offensive behaviour which gradually undermines a person’s self-esteem and confidence.  Bullying differs from harassment in being intentional and persistent. Individual incidents that may seem insignificant to observers when seen in isolation have a cumulative effect and add up to bullying over time.  Persistently ignoring or excluding and individual amounts to bullying.

What is NPC’s approach to harassment and bullying?

Harassment and bullying are unacceptable at NPC and could breach our equal opportunities policy, interfere with individuals’ work performance and affect health, confidence and morale.  NPC will take disciplinary action against employees who breach the harassment & bullying policy.  If the perpetrator is not an employee, we will take whatever steps are reasonably practicable to protect the individual staff member.

 

 

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