Dignity at Work

Policy on Preventing and Resolving Incidents of Harassment & Bullying

The University of Central Lancashire is committed to working towards creating a climate in which all employees are treated fairly with dignity and respect.

We will aim to:

Ensure the dignity at work of all our employees
Respect and value difference
Make full use of all the talents of all our workforce
Prevent acts of discrimination, exclusion, unfair treatment, and other negative or demeaning behaviours
Demonstrate our commitment to equality of opportunity for all
Be open and constructive in our communications
Handle conflict quickly and decisively
Be fair and just in everything we do
Educate our workforce in the development of positive behaviours whilst working to eliminate negative behaviours

Definitions of Harassment and Bullying

ACAS offer the following definitions:

Harassment, in general terms, is unwanted conduct affecting the dignity of men and women in the workplace. It may be related to age, sex, race, disability, religion, nationality or any personal characteristic of the individual, and may be persistent or an isolated incident. The key is that the actions or comments are viewed as demeaning and unacceptable to the recipient.

Bullying may be characterised as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.

Bullying or harassment may be by an individual against an individual, or involve groups of people. It may be obvious or insidious. Whatever form it takes, it is unwarranted and unwelcome to the individual.

In deciding if harassment or bullying has occurred the key is not the intention of the perpetrator, but whether the behaviour is unacceptable by reasonable normal standards and is unwelcome to the person or people subjected to it or witnessing it.

Examples of Behaviours which could constitute Harassment or Bullying

Harassment and bullying can range from extremes such as physical violence to less obvious forms such as excluding someone. It can occur in a variety of ways – with or without witnesses, be persistent behaviour over a period of time, or a one-off act. These behaviours may include the following, although this will depend on the perspective of the recipient. This list is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive:
• physical contact which is unwanted
• unwelcome remarks about a person's age, dress, appearance, race or marital status
• offensive language or gestures
• posters, graffiti, inappropriate jokes, gossip
• isolation, non-cooperation or exclusion of individual/s
• coercion to engage in sexual activity
• pressure to participate in political/religious groups
• “cyber bullying” eg SMS messages or comments / images on external websites
• shouting at / humiliating staff
• setting unreasonable deadlines
• persistent unmerited criticism
• personal insults.

Positive Behaviours - Responsibilities of staff and managers

All staff are responsible for ensuring that their own behaviour is appropriate, and they comply with this policy. Below are examples of positive behaviours which can be adopted, that can help prevent harassment and bullying, such as:
• be aware of this policy and comply with it.
• set a positive example by treating others with respect
• take care that jokes, banter, sarcasm are not potentially hurtful to others
• be mindful of body language – what an individual finds acceptable in terms of personal space, for example
• do not make personal comments, and take care not to make casual remarks which could be insensitive to issues individuals may be facing in private
• do not accept behaviour that may be offensive when directed against you or others, and take positive action to ensure that it is challenged and/or reported
• try to find the right balance between appearing uninterested and appearing intrusive
• don't act on assumptions which may make others feel excluded
• be supportive of colleagues who may be subject to bullying and/or harassment.

All managers have a responsibility to implement this policy and to bring it to the attention of staff in their work area, in order to establish and maintain a work environment free of harassment. They should:

• communicate with people privately, in a professional manner, as soon as a problem occurs.
• explain the reason for deadlines and timescales for work, and discuss them, ensuring that all involved are aware of the requirements for the work to be completed
• set a positive example by treating others with respect and setting standards of acceptable behaviour; also, promote a working environment where harassment is unacceptable and not tolerated
• treat any complaint seriously and deal with it promptly and confidentially, giving all those involved full support as appropriate during the entire process
• tackle, and where possible, resolve incidents of harassment
• consider the diverse needs of individuals when planning events / meetings
• consult Human Resources for advice and support

Guidance for employees who feel they are being harassed or bullied

If you feel that you are being subjected to harassment or bullying, do not feel that it is your fault or that you have to tolerate it. The University’s primary concern is that you should receive appropriate support, assistance, and confidential advice. There are various ways you can deal with harassment and bullying, ranging from simply asking the person to stop, to taking up a formal complaint.

Whilst you have the opportunity to make a formal complaint at any stage, wherever it is possible and appropriate to do so, efforts will be made to deal with complaints of harassment or bullying informally.

Informal actions you can take yourself

• Act promptly; do not wait until working conditions become intolerable
• Keep a diary of all incidents – relevant dates and times, locations, what was said, etc. Keep copies of any correspondence that may be relevant, for example reports, letters, memos, notes of any meetings that relate to you.
• In many instances it is possible for the complaint to be resolved quickly by explaining directly to the harasser the effect their behaviour is having and that you want it to stop.
• In some cases, the person against whom you have a complaint may be unaware that his or her behaviour is inappropriate or unacceptable, or it may happen that his or her words or actions have been misinterpreted. In such cases, the misunderstanding needs to be cleared up speedily
• You should always make it clear that if it continues you will make a formal complaint.
• If the behaviour of a person is aggressive it may be necessary to walk away making it clear you do not wish to be spoken to in that way.
If you do not feel able to raise your concerns with the person directly, you could write to them stating that you feel harassed, state where and when this occurred and how you wish to be treated. Always keep a copy.

Counselling

If an individual believes they are being bullied or harassed, it may be helpful for them to contact the Staff Counselling service. Counselling provision is on an entirely confidential basis and is available to all members of staff.

Mediation

If the steps you have taken, above, have not resolved the matter, you may wish to consider mediation as a means of finding common ground. This forms part of the informal stage of the University’s Grievance Procedure and can be arranged by contacting Human Resources.

Mediation seeks to:
• resolve conflict
• treat people fairly
• create realistic, workable agreements
• change behaviour that is creating difficulty
and will provide opportunities to:
• speak and listen
• exchange feelings and ideas
• negotiate

Formal steps

If the informal steps have not been successful, or are not appropriate, you have recourse to the University’s Grievance Procedure, which allows for such allegations to be dealt with in a formal, structured manner whilst ensuring sensitivity to the issues being resolved.

It may be appropriate, where possible, to take account of the nature of the issues involved in the complaint being made when determining who should hear the grievance – for example in cases of sexual harassment, racial harassment, age, disability or sexuality.
If, as a result of the investigation, it is identified that there is a case to answer, the University’s disciplinary procedure will be invoked where appropriate. The disciplinary procedure may also apply in cases where the complaint of harassment or bullying, or the complainant’s behaviour, is deemed to be malicious or mischievous.

Protection from Victimisation

Any incident of alleged victimisation arising from a complaint having been made by an employee or group in accordance with this policy will potentially be treated as a disciplinary issue. Victimisation is when a person is treated less favourably because they have complained about bullying or harassment or supported someone else who has raised a complaint about bullying or harassment.