From time immemorial, harassment at the workplace has been something that most people face in their offices. Sadly, most of the times, these people do not get the justice they deserve because half of the time, the culprits are people in high places.
However, factors have changed in recent times as it is now easier to bring victims the justice they yearn for while bringing to book the perpetrators and harassers.
There are different types of harassment in the workplace. One of the popular types is the verbal one, where your ideas are ignored continuously with words of abuse and insults. Another one could also be in the form of unwanted sexual advances where the other party makes sexual advances that make you uncomfortable.
As explained above, the good thing is that there are specific steps that you can take to ensure that you get to stop any level of harassment from going further. One of the primary steps you need to understand is that you need to know the rules or the company’s laws or organization that you work for. You also need to know the necessary quarters to channel your complaints within the organization first.
Apart from these obvious first steps, there are other steps which are legally binding for you to follow if you get bullied at your workplace at any point in time: –
1. Know and Understand Your Rights
One of the first steps you need to take if you get bullied at your workplace is to ensure that you know and understand your rights. As a worker within a firm, you should be allowed free reigns to discharge your duties accordingly with no fear or restraints due to bullying. Therefore, you need to read up as well as understand your contract terms. Before you start working with any firm, it is essential that you read up about them on us-reviews to know how they operate and if any worker or customer ever wrote about any of such excesses.
2. Have a conversation with the perpetrator
Another significant thing that can be of help to you is to speak with the perpetrator. Try to explain how the advances and bullying you get from him or her make you feel incapacitated to perform your duties properly. You should also tell the person that you are beginning to feel uncomfortable due to their actions.
3. Speak to someone about it or lodge a complaint
If it is impossible to talk to the perpetrator or talk with the individual has solved no issue, you can then take this next step. Get someone who can speak to the individual for you and get practical advice on solving the problem. However, if the case is beyond that, you should find ways to lodge your complaints with the firm’s necessary body.
4. Engage the services of a legal practitioner
Since your firm may be slacking with your complaints, you may need to engage a legal adviser (one who is an expert in employment law). You can also seek online legal services. This legal practitioner may also help you complain with the Fair Work Commission to ensure that the complaints meet the perfect requirements. The good thing is that the lawyer may come in at any point of the process.