Office Bullying and Harassment Policy Volume Nov 2013 | Page 16

Intent does not determine whether the behaviour is bullying and harassment. A person cannot excuse
his or her behaviour by saying he or she did not intend it to be humiliating or intimidating.
Situations, context, and circumstances may vary. For example, yelling in the workplace may be
acceptable sometimes. It might be appropriate for a construction foreman to yell to warn a fellow worker
of a potential danger, or for a fire chief to shout commands at the scene of a disaster. However, yelling
that humiliates and intimidates is not acceptable.

What is not considered bullying and harassment?
Bullying and harassment should not be confused with exercising managerial authority. Examples
of reasonable management action might include decisions relating to job duties, workloads,
deadlines, transfers, reorganizations, work instructions or feedback, work evaluation, performance
management, and/or disciplinary actions.

Who can be a bully? Who can be a target?
Anyone can be a bully, so it’s difficult to generalize. Some bullies are easy to identify, while others
operate more subtly. Equally, anyone can be the target of bullying and harassment. A target could just
as likely be a dedicated, long-term employee as someone who’s a young or new worker.

Effects on workers and the organization
Bullying and harassment is an OHS issue that poses a potential risk to the physical and mental
health and safety of workers. It can lead to lower productivity, physical illness, and increased risk
of injury if someone is distracted while performing work tasks. Organizations must recognize and
address these hazards by ensuring preventative
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