RECOMMENDATIONS

WHAT ACTIONS CAN WE TAKE

Bullying is unethical attitude it can and should be stopped. Each problem you face will have different types and resolution, its all depends on your work environment and the systems available in our workplace. If you one of the bullied victims, you can resolve the problems by our way or you can follow more formal procedure that available or formal approaching. Here are actions can be taken by formal or informal way from most of the bullying cases.

CHECK FOR A WORKPLACE BULLYING POLICY AND COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

Check or make a research regarding to workplace bullying if your company has a policy and complaint resolution procedure. It may available in the organization s induction package for new employees or may be displayed at notice boards, in other place it may be at grievance procedures or in employment agreement. !ost people prefer to solve their problems in the informal way because it needs less time, procedures and effects compare to formal way which is very rigid and lots of bureaucracy matters.

SEEK ADVICE
If available, seek advice from authorities people regarding to this matters such as Contact "fficer or #rievance "fficer, Health and $afety %epresentative, Human resources manager or &nion "fficial. 'ou shouldn t make a report to those who doesn t have authorities or who are not involve in handling complaint. (lleged bully is taking serious and kept protected by your company, if the complaint are not handle in right manner actions will be taken toward person in charge. )e doesn t need to submit written complaint when making an informal complaint.

KEEP A RECORD
Each types of bullying you face should make a detailed record of what happened such as place, date, time, persons *those involved and present+ and what was said or done. Ensure that all records are accurate because it will be very useful later on especially when comes to formal procedures.

APPROACH THE BULLY

(ny form of bullying happens to you and you feel safe and comfortable to do so, try to make it ,uite clear regarding the bully that you won t tolerate anymore towards the unwanted and unacceptable behavior. 'ou shouldn t keep silence because it allows the bully to continue intimidating you, if you don t say something the harassment may get worse. Body language plus with a clear statement are effective way to communicate. #et advice from Contact officer or #rievance officer on how to approach the bully before doing so. 'ou may also ask someone else such as #rievance officer on behalf of you to approach the bully for the face to face discussion and find resolutions that satisfied everyone involved.

USE A COUNSELLING SERVICE

If your workplace available a counseling service tries to get use of it, normally it s a free service. Counseling may help you to developed ways of dealing with bully or the effects of bullying. 'ou may ask from your Human %esources "fficer on employee assistance if there is one. 'our union may also be able to provide information.

USE MORE FORMAL PROCEDURES

-ormal procedures will be more preferred if the informal ways finds a failure or in situations where the allegations are more serious and has been less favorable treatment or actual physical harm. &sually this will be confirmed by preliminary en,uiries undertaken by #rievance officer before a formal investigation. 'ou may decide or be re,uired to lodge a written complaint to your employer. If a formal investigation does occur, impartial person who does not involve in the situations should carry this out.

.he investigator should document your report and keep a record of information gathered in the course of investigations and you should be advised of the outcome. In the process of investigations goes ahead, you are advised to/ 0 'our right to representation/ 0 )ho will conduct the investigation !easures in place to protect confidentiality and procedural fairness/ 0 .he timeframe for the investigation/ 0 )ho will be provided with a copy of your statement and any report that may be produced/ possible outcomes and actions by the employer/ 0 'our entitlements to a copy of your own statement.

HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES AND HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEES

'ou may decide to contact health and $afety %epresentative including liaising with employees on health, safety and welfare matters or make a report regarding to the hazard that employees are e1posed. .he health and safety %epresentative will refer the matter to Health and safety committee. 'ou will go through a consultation process with health and safety committee used to developed anti2bullying strategies and the monitoring, review and effectiveness of the strategies. )here bullying is kind of hazard to workplace so the employer is obliged to provide the Health and $afety %epresentative with any information the employer has. If workplace bullying is reported, the employer should make sure that the Health and $afety %epresentative should be involved in resolving the issue. .he workplace policy and procedures should address both of the issues.

RESOLVING ISSUES
.he OHS&W Act re,uires the employers to attempt to resolve health, safety and welfare issues with the Health and $afety %epresentative or committee. If it doesn t work, the OH&W Act sets out steps to resolve the issue. If an issue remains unresolved and there is possibilities a serious and imminent in3ury or harm to someone, either employer or health and $afety %epresentative may re,uest an "H$ Inspector to attend the workplace. If there is no Health and $afety %epresentative or committee you may lodge a complaint with $afe)ork $(. (n "H$ Inspector will attend at your work place and he or she will take an appropriate actions based on the legislation. .he "H$ Inspector roles is to ensure that everyone meet the obligations under the legislation, not to mediate between the bullied person and the alleged bully. (fter the investigations the "H$ Inspector believes the involved parties can resolve the problems they can refer their case to Industrial %elations Commission *I%C+ for conciliation or meditation.

END RESULTS
(fter the employer and "H$ Inspector had 3ustified the problems regarding the workplace bullying there may be disciplinary actions that accordance the anti bullying policy and relevant legislation. .he employer also re,uired to make some changes and modifications towards the company rules especially the workplace bullying matters.