Harassment and violence at work

The TUC has joined with employer organisations in launching guidelines on the prevention of harassment and violence at work, implementing in the UK a framework agreement between the social partners signed at EU level in 2007. The guidance, aimed at both employers and workers, and which can be accessed via a specific website on Preventing Harassment at Work, has also been endorsed by BIS, ACAS and the HSE.

The guidance outlines that any form of harassment and violence against workers, whether committed by other employees, managers or third parties, is unacceptable and proceeds by identifying that tolerance, diversity, dignity and respect are benchmarks of success. It sets out employers’ legal obligations in this area but also encourages employers and unions to agree on the basis of a social dialogue how to tackle the range of problems of harassment and violence in the workplace.

Most large employers, and unionised workplaces in general, are likely to have policies already in place – and certainly to be more highly aware of the issue, although the specific agreements that the guidelines seek to promote may be less common. Even so, outside such workplaces, the guidelines will have found an all too  ready home: four employees die from violence at work every year in the UK and three people a day suffer major injuries.

Hat-tip:  TUC press release on the issue