Bullying in the workplace is a big deal, resulting in many lawsuits every year and even a few high profile cases that get news and media attention. Of course, preventing bullying is always the best measure that managers and HR professionals can take, but that doesn’t mean that bullying will never, ever happen again. Investigating the bullying issues is sometimes the easiest part of the ordeal. The aftermath of bullying in the workplace can prove to be a bit trickier, especially when the situation does not result in someone’s termination.
In order to make the aftermath of the bullying accusations easier on the employees involved, managers and HR professionals need to be transparent with their findings. Your natural instinct might be to close the case, forget about it, and move on. However, your employees deserve to know what your investigations yielded and how this information fed into your decision. Then you will need to actively work toward fixing the problem, such as having formal meetings with both parties where they are separated from each other. Let them know what you concluded, what your solution is, and how you will turn your solution into action. Also offer stern reminders that, despite the awkward nature of the situation, management and HR expects everyone to behave like the professionals they are.
If it’s practical for the business, HR professionals and managers might suggest offering a transfer. The key word here is “offering”. You don’t want to use a transfer as a form of punishment for the employee who is accusing someone else of workplace bullying. Speaking up should never be punished. If you can make the transfer as lateral as possible, ask the accuser if they would be interested in this as a potential solution to the bullying problem. You should only use a transfer as a form of reprimand for the guilty employee.
Bullying in the workplace can certainly cause tension among your employees, especially between the employees directly involved. If no one is fired or transferred, the management team and HR department will need to keep a close eye on how things develop. Make sure that the accused party is on their best behavior and if you notice any of those old habits creeping back in, put a strict end to it right away. Victims of workplace bullying may feel especially sensitive and vulnerable during the aftermath. Managers and HR professionals should show their support for the victim but also make sure that the victim is not lashing out and retaliating against the other employee.
Instances of bullying in the workplace can be a good opportunity for HR professionals and managers to remind everyone about your racial and sexual harassment policies, and especially of your general anti-bullying policies. Everyone deserves to come to work feeling safe and respected. It’s up to the management and HR departments to facilitate a friendly and welcoming environment and to handle accusations of workplace bullying with speed and efficiency to ensure that their employees have the opportunity to do their best.