Duties of managers and supervisors

The duty of managers to implement the policy, and their responsibilities for preventing workplace bullying and harassment and for taking action to eliminate it, need to be stated. Managers need to be trained in recognising bullying and harassment and in investigating complaints. This can be linked to equalities training, including training for disability awareness.

The Acas guidance says that employers need to set a good example, and that the behaviour of employers and senior managers is as important as any formal policy. An organisation in which employees are consulted and problems are discussed is less likely to encourage bullying and harassment than one which uses an authoritarian management style.

Records will be “personal data” for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. This means that the employer must comply with the requirements of the Employment Practices Code which can be accessed from the Information Commissioner’s website. In particular, they must be accurate, confidential and secure, and should contain only relevant information. Members should have the opportunity to correct inaccuracies.