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Preventing and managing bullying – case studies

Examples of how an employer can manage the risk of bullying.

Liam’s story

Liam is one of 2 senior marketing specialists at a large marketing firm. He also works with 3 junior marketers.

Recently, Pia was promoted into the role of marketing manager, becoming Liam’s manager. Pia is motivated to succeed in her new position. Her focus is to exceed the team’s quarterly performance indicators (KPIs).

During a one-on-one meeting, Pia increased Liam’s individual KPIs. She did not change the KPIs of other team members. At the time, Liam raised concerns about how the increased KPIs would affect his workload. Pia dismissed these concerns, telling Liam he needed to be a role model for junior members of the team.

At a follow-up meeting, Liam argued his new KPIs were unreasonable. He told Pia he was working an extra 2 to 3 hours each day to try to meet them. Pia explained that senior roles come with extra responsibility. She encouraged Liam to work on his time management skills. Liam continued to work long hours in an attempt to meet Pia’s expectations.

Over the following weeks, Pia singled out Liam in team interactions. During a team meeting, Pia made a joke threatening to end Liam’s employment over a minor mistake. On another occasion, Liam found out that he was not invited to a lunch attended by the rest of the team. When Liam raised this with Pia, she said that Liam had been under pressure with his KPIs and he should focus on his work.

Liam began to feel anxious about going to work. He started to experience early signs of psychological harm, including:

  • poor sleep
  • heart palpitations
  • irritability.

Liam met with his health and safety representative (HSR). He talked about his experiences and exposure to psychosocial hazards to date. He asked the HSR to escalate his concerns and said he was comfortable with his name being included. The HSR subsequently reported the concerns to the Health, Safety and Wellbeing team.

The Health, Safety and Wellbeing team:

  • gave Liam the option to access psychological support through the workplace’s Employee Assistance Program provider
  • explained how the organisation responds to reports of psychosocial hazards, including bullying
  • continued to monitor Liam’s wellbeing through regular conversations with him.

The Health, Safety and Wellbeing team has provided individual support to Liam. But they have not properly responded to the report of a psychosocial hazard.

Read on to see how Liam’s employer should follow the risk management process to control the risk.

Emma’s story

Emma is a university student who speaks English as her second language. She works casually as a consultant at a travel agency in a large shopping centre. She works on weekends, which are typically busier than weekdays. During her shift, she works with one other consultant. Both are responsible for:

  • making and managing bookings
  • handling customer enquiries
  • providing advice on travel packages and promotions.

One Saturday morning, a customer came into the agency to book a discounted international tour package. Before finalising the sale, Emma explained the booking conditions. These included that:

  • the booking was non-refundable
  • the dates could not be changed without extra fees.

The customer agreed to the terms, confirmed the booking and paid in full.

One week later, the customer returned to the agency and asked to change their travel dates. Emma reminded them of the restrictions on the booking.

The customer became frustrated and insisted on the changes. Emma said the only way to change the booking was if they paid significant extra fees. The customer threatened to leave a negative online review of Emma’s service and left the workplace.

Over the following month, the customer phoned Emma every Saturday to ask for the changes. Each time, Emma repeated the booking terms. The customer accused Emma of deliberately misleading them and called her a ‘liar’.

The customer also kept threatening to leave a negative online review about Emma. During these calls, Emma did not ask her colleague for help as they were busy serving other customers. Emma’s employer had decided not to roster on any extra weekend staff, despite the volume of work.

Emma became extremely anxious about going to work and answering inbound phone calls. She reported her concerns to the branch manager.

Emma’s manager took the following actions.

  • Gave Emma the option to access psychological support through the workplace’s Employee Assistance Program provider.
  • Offered options to modify Emma’s work arrangements.
  • Explained the organisation’s process to respond to reports of psychosocial hazards, including bullying.
  • Continued to monitor Emma’s wellbeing through regular conversations with her.
  • Considered in the response to the report that Emma is a member of multiple at-risk categories – young employee and English as a second language. Emma’s manager recognised that these factors may intersect to increase Emma’s risk of harm from exposure to bullying.

Emma’s manager has provided individual support to Emma. But they have not properly responded to the report of a psychosocial hazard.

Read on to see how Emma’s employer should follow the risk management process to control the risk.

Oscar’s story

Oscar is a first-year apprentice carpenter. He works on domestic building sites alongside 2 labourers and a qualified carpenter, Ethan. Their supervisor is often offsite attending other jobs.

Over the last 3 months, Ethan has frequently belittled Oscar. He called him names and criticised him when he made minor mistakes. As instructed by their supervisor, all employees should clean up the site at the end of the day. But Ethan often assigned this task to Oscar to complete alone to ‘toughen him up’.

When Oscar asked Ethan questions about his work, Ethan mocked him in an impatient and dismissive way. As a result, Oscar had little guidance about which tasks he should be doing.

Oscar began to lose confidence and feel anxious before each shift. He often called in sick to avoid working with Ethan. Oscar considered quitting his apprenticeship and leaving the profession altogether.

One day, Ethan poked Oscar with a drill several times while he was working on a ladder. Oscar fell and fractured his wrist. He went to the local hospital’s emergency department and was admitted for immediate surgery.

Oscar’s supervisor notified WorkSafe under notifiable incident requirements. Oscar’s supervisor also took the following actions.

  • Offered options to modify Oscar’s work arrangements.
  • Continued to monitor Oscar’s wellbeing through regular conversations with him.
  • Responded to Ethan’s behaviour in line with the employer’s code of conduct by standing him down.
  • Reported the incident to the police, with consent from Oscar.

Oscar’s supervisor has provided individual support to him following the notifiable incident. But they have not properly responded to the report of a psychosocial hazard.

Read on to find out how Oscar’s employer should follow the risk management process to control the risk.

Gita’s story

Gita works as an administration assistant at a busy, medium-sized allied health clinic in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. The clinic employs physiotherapists, podiatrists and administration assistants.

Recently, the clinic changed to a new booking system. This happened over a weekend when the clinic was closed. Employees received limited training on how to use the new system. Administration assistants were not shown how to email appointment reminders.

Following the system change, Jamie, an existing patient, did not attend his regular physiotherapy appointment. Gita called Jamie to ask why he did not attend and to arrange another appointment. She advised Jamie that the next available time with his usual physiotherapist was in 3 weeks.

Jamie became frustrated. He told Gita he did not receive an email reminder. He also said he was in significant pain and kept asking her to prioritise his appointment. Gita offered him a consultation with another physiotherapist. Jamie declined and abruptly ended the call.

In the lead-up to his next appointment, Jamie sent several long and cross emails. He demanded an earlier appointment and threatened to complain about Gita to management. Gita was unsure how to respond and asked her colleague for advice. Gita’s colleague was also uncertain and suggested that Gita ignore the emails.

When Jamie was at the clinic next, he told another customer to avoid being served by Gita because she was incompetent at her job. Gita overheard this comment and left her desk, visibly upset. The practice manager saw the interaction and followed up with Gita.

Gita discussed her concerns about Jamie’s behaviour with the practice manager. She said that she was anxious about coming to work and was finding it hard to concentrate. The practice manager:

  • gave Gita the option to access psychological support through the employer’s Employee Assistance Program provider
  • continued to monitor Gita’s wellbeing through regular conversations with her.

Gita’s supervisor has provided individual support to Gita. But they have not properly responded to the report of a psychosocial hazard.

Read on to find out how Gita’s employer should follow the risk management process to control the risk.

What is bullying?  

Preventing and managing bullying – step 1: identify hazards  

Preventing and managing bullying – step 2: assess risks  

Preventing and managing bullying – step 3: control risks  

Preventing and managing bullying – step 4: review risk controls  

Managing reports of bullying  

Compliance code: Psychological health