Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace: Signs, Risks & What Employers Must Do
Every employee deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued at work. Yet bullying and harassment remain serious issues in Australian workplaces, affecting individual wellbeing and team performance. Understanding what these behaviours look like – and knowing how to respond – is crucial for both employers and employees.
Building awareness around these issues directly supports psychological safety in the workplace, helping teams speak up, address harm early, and maintain a culture of trust.
Overview
Defining Bullying and Harassment
Under Australian workplace law, bullying and harassment are distinct but equally unacceptable behaviours.
Workplace bullying, as defined by Fair Work Australia, occurs when an individual or group repeatedly behaves unreasonably towards a worker or group of workers, creating a risk to health and safety. “Unreasonable behaviour” can include belittling comments, verbal abuse, spreading rumours, or deliberately excluding someone from work activities.
Workplace harassment, on the other hand, involves unwelcome conduct based on personal characteristics – such as gender, age, race, religion, disability, or sexual orientation – that offends, humiliates, or intimidates. Harassment may happen once or repeatedly, and in any form – verbal, physical, or digital.
Both are serious breaches of professional standards and can contravene the Fair Work Act 2009 and Work Health and Safety (WHS) obligations that protect employees across Australia.
At The Woohoo Co., our HR consulting services often support organisations navigating these legal and cultural challenges. We help leaders recognise, respond to, and prevent these behaviours before they escalate.
Examples and Signs of Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace
Recognising the early signs of bullying and harassment in the workplace is the first step toward addressing them. Here are some common examples and indicators:
Examples of workplace bullying:
Persistent criticism or undermining someone’s work performance.
Excluding a colleague from meetings, communication, or team activities.
Spreading gossip or false rumours.
Yelling, swearing, or belittling others publicly.
Setting unrealistic deadlines or workloads to set someone up for failure.
Examples of workplace harassment:
Making jokes or remarks about someone’s race, gender, or background.
Sending offensive emails or messages.
Displaying or sharing inappropriate images or materials.
Unwanted physical contact or advances.
Repeatedly asking personal questions that make someone uncomfortable.
Some signs can be subtle, like changes in team morale, increased absenteeism, or decreased engagement. These are red flags that the workplace culture needs attention.
Many organisations use facilitated workshops as a proactive solution to identify these patterns early and rebuild positive communication habits.
Impact on Psychological Safety
Bullying and harassment directly erode the foundation of psychological safety – the trust that allows people to speak up, share ideas, and take interpersonal risks without fear of humiliation.
When bullying is present, employees often go silent. They avoid raising concerns, trying new things, or offering honest feedback because it feels unsafe to do so. The result is a disengaged workforce, high turnover, and poor innovation.
Even those not directly targeted feel the impact. Entire teams can adopt a “survival mode” mentality, where protecting oneself takes priority over collaboration or learning.
Creating a psychologically safe environment means addressing these behaviours swiftly and openly. Encouraging bystanders to speak up, supporting affected employees, and ensuring fair processes for complaints are all essential steps toward restoring trust.
Employer Responsibilities
Every Australian employer has a legal and ethical duty to provide a workplace free from bullying and harassment. According to the Fair Work Ombudsman and Safe Work Australia, this responsibility includes:
Implementing clear anti-bullying and harassment policies.
Providing training that educates employees about acceptable behaviour.
Establishing confidential reporting channels.
Responding promptly and fairly to all complaints.
Offering support to affected individuals (such as counselling or mediation).
Leaders play a crucial role in setting standards. Their behaviour models what is – and isn’t – acceptable. Ensuring managers understand their obligations and maintain accountability protects not only employee wellbeing but also the organisation’s reputation and compliance position.
At The Woohoo Co., we work with organisations across sectors to review and strengthen their people frameworks, aligning culture practices with compliance through our HR Coaching services.
Addressing Issues Proactively
Prevention is always more effective than reaction. Employers who take a proactive approach to culture-building can reduce the risk of bullying and harassment while also improving psychological safety.
Practical steps include:
Clear expectations: Define behavioural standards in policies and induction training.
Regular conversations: Create open channels for people to discuss concerns early.
Leadership example: Ensure leaders consistently model respectful behaviour.
Cultural check-ins: Run periodic surveys or focus groups to track team wellbeing.
Education: Deliver ongoing training and coaching programs that focus on communication, empathy, and leadership confidence.
These approaches help prevent problems from embedding and support teams in maintaining trust, fairness, and inclusivity.
Bringing Psychological Safety to Life
Bullying and harassment in the workplace can’t be solved overnight, but meaningful change is possible when culture becomes the focus. Building awareness, accountability, and compassion are the first steps.
Organisations that prioritise respect and openness not only comply with legal standards – they create the kind of workplaces where people can thrive.
If your team is ready to take positive action, The Woohoo Co.’s Creating Safe Spaces workshop can help you turn understanding into results. It provides teams and leaders with the confidence and tools to challenge harmful behaviours, rebuild trust, and foster safety through shared responsibility.
Bullying and Harassment FAQs
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Workplace bullying refers to repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed toward a worker that creates a risk to their health and safety. This includes behaviours like humiliation, exclusion, verbal abuse, or undermining someone’s work performance.
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Harassment can take many forms, but three common examples include:
Making offensive jokes or comments targeting someone’s protected characteristics.
Sending or displaying inappropriate content, including in digital spaces.
Unwanted physical contact or advances that make a person feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
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Yes. Human Resources plays a critical role in managing bullying concerns. HR can respond to complaints, conduct fair investigations, and guide policy enforcement. They can also deliver training to managers, coach employees on respectful communication, and help rebuild trust through proactive culture programs.
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