This is a policy document detailing the Anti-Harassment and Bullying Policy of an unnamed company. The company is committed to providing a safe working environment that prohibits harassment and bullying. The policy applies to all employees under different contracts, including permanent and casual workers, consultants, and volunteers. The policy aims to create a positive and inclusive workplace culture that maximizes business performance, create a workplace free of harassment, bullying, victimization, and discrimination, and ensure all employees feel respected.

The senior management of the company is responsible for the dissemination and implementation of this policy in the company. The Human Resources Department is responsible for overall compliance and handling breach allegations. The company provides regular training sessions for all employees on harassment and bullying issues to ensure that all employees are aware of the provisions of the policy.

The company has a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment and bullying against employees, encompassing various characteristics, including age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, including ethnic and national origin, medical record, among others. The company reserves all rights to amend and update the list from time to time. The examples of harassment and bullying listed in this policy are not exhaustive but indicative of the type of behaviours that may constitute bullying or harassment.

Harassment occurs when an employee with one or more of the protected characteristics receives hostile, humiliating, intimidating, or offensive treatment that deprives the employee of dignity, and such conduct is unwelcome by the employee. Such conduct is not tolerated, even if it is labeled as a joke, and the offender has committed it unintentionally. Unacceptable conduct includes excluding and isolating any employee, treating someone less favourably because they have submitted or refused to submit to such behaviour in the past, and making abusive, derogatory, unkind, hostile, or otherwise unwelcoming statements regarding an employee.

Sexual harassment means performing any form of sexual harassment, including but not limited to making sexually offensive statements verbally, performing physical conducts bringing similar unwelcome effects, displaying sexually explicit materials, sexual assault, and indecent exposure. Some examples of workplace sexual harassment may include offensive comments on physical appearance, dress or private life, sending sexually explicit emails or text messages, hugging, cornering, kissing, fondling, and forced sexual intercourse or assault.

Bullying is defined as a deliberate, intentional, and repeated aggressive, intimidating or insulting behaviour involving the abuse of power directed towards another person or group of persons with the intention to cause physical or mental harm. Some examples of bullying include the abuse of power to make the other person feel intimidated, socially or physically excluding or disregarding a person in work-related activities, physical or psychological threats, and personal attacks or hostile interactions.

All breaches of this policy are taken very seriously, and all allegations of harassment or bullying will be investigated. The company aims to keep all matters relating to the complaint strictly confidential and will not be divulged to any parties not involved in the proceedings. The document ends by stating that this policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment, and the company reserves all rights to amend the content of the policy at any time.

How to Use the Document? 

1. Understand the Policy: The Company is committed to creating a safe work environment that prohibits harassment and bullying in the workplace. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create an inclusive workplace culture that maximises business performance.

2. Our Responsibilities and Measures: The senior management of the Company is responsible for disseminating and implementing this policy, and the Human Resources Department is responsible for overall compliance and handling breach allegations. The Company provides regular training sessions for all employees on harassment and bullying issues.

3. General Principles: The Company has a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment and bullying against employees. The policy covers a range of characteristics, including age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and medical records. The Company provides examples of harassment and bullying that may constitute inappropriate behaviour.

4. Harassment: Harassment is hostile, humiliating, intimidating, or offensive treatment that deprives employees of their dignity. Unacceptable conduct includes excluding and isolating employees, treating someone less favourably, and making abusive statements.

5. Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment includes making sexually offensive statements, performing physical conduct, displaying sexually explicit materials, sexual assault, and indecent exposure.

6. Bullying: Bullying involves deliberate, intentional, and repeated aggressive, intimidating, or insulting behaviour directed towards another person or group of persons with the intention of causing physical or mental harm. Examples include abuse of power, personal attacks, and hostile interactions.

7. Policy Violations: The Company takes all breaches of this policy seriously, and all allegations of harassment or bullying will be taken seriously and investigated in accordance with this Policy.

By following these steps, employees can understand their responsibilities and the consequences of violating the policy. The policy aims to create a positive and inclusive workplace culture, and employees are encouraged to treat each other with dignity and respect.