Bullying and Harassment at Work

Bullying and harassment at work cover a spectrum of behaviours that undermine, threaten or humiliate someone through how they are treated. Harassment has a specific legal meaning in UK law where it relates to a protected characteristic. Bullying is a broader term covering unwanted behaviour that damages the working relationship, whether or not a protected characteristic is involved.

Both cause real harm to the people affected and to the wider team. They also expose the organisation to legal claims, lost productivity, higher turnover and reputational damage. Prevention and early response are much better than trying to deal with things after they have escalated.

The Legal Framework for Bullying and Harassment at Work

In the UK, the main legal framework is the Equality Act 2010, which makes harassment related to a protected characteristic unlawful. Harassment is defined as unwanted conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating someone dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 came into force in October 2024 and introduced a new preventive duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers. Employment tribunals can uplift compensation for successful sexual harassment claims by up to 25% where this duty has not been met.

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 provides separate protection against a course of conduct amounting to harassment, with both criminal and civil remedies. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 also plays a role where bullying causes psychological or physical harm. Other jurisdictions have their own frameworks with different specifics.

Bullying that is not tied to a protected characteristic is not directly unlawful as harassment under the Equality Act, but can still give rise to claims for constructive dismissal, personal injury or breach of contract, and can breach the implied duty of trust and confidence.

Preventing Bullying and Harassment at Work

Prevention depends on a combination of clear standards, visible leadership and active intervention:

A clear anti-bullying and harassment policy setting out prohibited behaviour, the standards expected, the process for raising concerns and the consequences of breach.
Training for all staff on what counts as bullying and harassment, and additional training for managers on how to prevent, recognise and respond to it.
Leadership behaviour - senior leaders modelling the standards they expect, calling out unacceptable behaviour, and not tolerating it from high performers.
Risk assessment for roles or contexts with higher risk (customer-facing work, isolated working, power imbalances).
Clear routes for raising concerns, including confidential options and external contacts where internal routes would be inappropriate.
Monitoring - patterns in grievance data, exit interviews and engagement surveys can reveal problems before individual complaints arrive.

Under the Worker Protection Act 2023, UK employers need to be able to show what reasonable steps they have taken. A policy is part of that, but not sufficient on its own - training, communication, monitoring and prompt action all contribute.

Responding to Bullying and Harassment at Work

When a concern is raised, it should be handled promptly, fairly and confidentially. The process is typically the grievance procedure, but with additional care around:

Supporting the complainant during the process, including time off if needed.
Considering whether interim measures (separating the parties, changing reporting lines temporarily) are appropriate.
Investigating properly, including hearing from witnesses.
Keeping the person raising the concern informed about progress while respecting the rights of the person complained about.
Taking appropriate disciplinary action where the concern is upheld.
Reviewing what the organisation can learn, particularly where patterns point to a wider issue.

Retaliation against someone raising a concern in good faith is itself a serious matter and should trigger its own response. Staff need to see that raising concerns is safe if the process is going to be trusted.

Bullying and Harassment and the Management System

Bullying and harassment cross several parts of the management system. Under ISO 45001 the duty to protect worker health includes mental health, which is directly affected by bullying. Under ISO 9001 and the other standards, meeting applicable legal requirements is a core Clause 4.2 duty, which includes the Equality Act 2010 and the Worker Protection Act 2023 in the UK. Patterns in complaints or grievances should feed into management review as a people and risk indicator.

The Worker Protection Act 2023 has shifted the expectation from responding to sexual harassment to preventing it. UK employers now need to be able to show what reasonable steps they have taken - risk assessments, training, clear policies, safe reporting routes, active monitoring. An out-of-date policy on a shelf will not meet that standard.

Bullying and harassment have real health consequences. Long-term exposure to sustained bullying can cause anxiety, depression, sleep problems and physical symptoms. H&S duties under the 1974 Act apply where that harm is foreseeable, which it often is if the behaviour has been reported or observed. This is not only an HR matter.

We have a clear policy and anonymous reporting, and we do annual training that covers what is expected of everyone and what managers specifically need to do. The hardest part is leadership modelling - people watch what leaders tolerate far more than what policies say. We have had to act on reports about well-regarded staff, and that has done more to build trust in the process than any amount of communication.

The test of an anti-bullying approach is not the policy document. It is what happens when someone raises a concern. Is it taken seriously. Is the person supported. Is the outcome proportionate. Is the same standard applied regardless of who is involved. Get those things right consistently and the culture follows.

Practical Compliance Guidance

Section 3.1 of the IMS1 IMS Manual covers the management of staff, including the arrangements for preventing and responding to bullying and harassment.

Several alphaZ documents support an approach to preventing and managing bullying and harassment:

alphaZ document	How to use it
ISO 9001, 14001 & 45001 IMS Toolkit	The complete toolkit for an integrated management system covering quality, environment and health and safety.
P-73 Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy	Policy covering the organisation approach to preventing and responding to bullying and harassment of any kind.
P-121 Sexual Harassment Policy	Policy specifically addressing sexual harassment and supporting compliance with the Worker Protection Act 2023 preventive duty.
RA-HS70 Workplace Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination Risk Assessment	Risk assessment covering workplace harassment and bullying, identifying higher-risk scenarios and the controls needed.
F-HS43 Harassment Risk Form	Form used to capture and evaluate harassment-related risks and incidents.
P-58 Grievance Policy	Policy covering how grievances are handled, including bullying and harassment concerns raised through the formal route.
GEN1-1 General Staff Handbook	Consolidated staff handbook covering the main company policies and raising awareness of the anti-bullying standards.

Note - all the above files can be downloaded with an alphaZ subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between bullying and harassment?

In UK law, harassment has a specific meaning under the Equality Act 2010 - unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic that violates dignity or creates a hostile environment. Bullying is a broader term covering unwanted behaviour that undermines or humiliates someone, which may or may not be tied to a protected characteristic. Both are unacceptable in the workplace, even where only one has a direct legal definition.

What does the Worker Protection Act 2023 require?

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, in force from October 2024, introduced a duty on UK employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers. Tribunals can uplift compensation for successful sexual harassment claims by up to 25% where the duty has not been met. Employers need to be able to show what reasonable steps they have taken - policies alone are not sufficient.

Can bullying by a customer or third party be the organisation responsibility?

Yes. UK employers have duties to protect workers from harassment by third parties (customers, clients, members of the public) where this is a foreseeable risk. The Worker Protection Act 2023 reinforces this specifically in relation to sexual harassment. Controls typically include training, clear escalation routes, the ability to withdraw from a situation, and records of any incidents.

How are bullying complaints investigated?

Bullying complaints usually go through the grievance procedure, with additional care for confidentiality and support. A proper investigation includes hearing from the complainant, the person complained about and any witnesses, reviewing relevant documents, reaching a reasoned conclusion and taking any necessary action. The complainant should be kept informed of progress within the constraints of confidentiality.

UK Legislation

The following UK legislation is relevant to bullying and harassment at work. Organisations outside the UK should identify the equivalent legislation applicable in their jurisdiction.

Further Resources