About the Civil Service
Tackling harassment and bullying
A central part of creating a diverse workforce is ensuring staff work in a safe, non-threatening environment and are not subjected to harassment or bullying. All departments and agencies have an obligation to do this.
What is harassment?
Harassment can take many forms. It includes any behaviour that, intentionally or not, causes offence or makes someone feel uneasy, intimidated, uncomfortable, excluded or humiliated. It also covers anything that makes people feel their job is threatened.
Some forms of harassment are easy to identify - such as physical assaults, demands for sexual favours and verbal threats or abuse. Others may be more subtle, with no simple definition, but can do just as much damage to the recipient.
What we do to prevent this
Departments and agencies have equal opportunities statements and related processes to ensure no harassment or bullying takes place - for example, complaint procedures. Staff and managers must be made aware of their responsibilities, along with equal opportunity officers who monitor and review progress.