Office Bullying and Harassment Policy Volume Nov 2013 | Page 33
Workplace bullying and harassment does not include behaviour that is unrelated to a worker’s
employment.
Reasonable management action
Bullying and harassment should not be confused with exercising managerial authority. It’s
important to distinguish between a person who is reasonably exercising legitimate authority at
work in an appropriate way, and a person who is bullying and harassing.
Managers and supervisors have a broad range of responsibilities, including directing and supervising
how work is performed. They’re responsible for monitoring workflow and providing feedback to
employees on work performance. While the employer may exercise his or her authority to make
employment decisions, such decisions cannot be communicated to a worker in a manner that would
constitute bullying and harassment.
Examples of reasonable management action might include decisions relating to the following:
•
job duties or work to be performed
•
workloads and deadlines
•
layoffs, transfers, promotions, and reorganizations
•
work instructions, supervision, or feedback
•
work evaluation
•
performance management
•
discipline, suspensions, or terminations
When it’s provided in a respectful manner, appropriate feedback to help staff improve
performance or behaviour is not bullying and harassment. However, managers and supervisors
should ensure
performance problems are identified and addressed in a constructive, objective way that does not
humiliate or intimidate.
Toward a respectful workplace
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