Prevention of Workplace Bullying Policy

Serco Sodexo Defence Services (SSDS) is a values based organisation that relies on its people to give their best and deliver effective business results. Consistent with our values, our people have the right to expect a work environment that is free from bullying. Workplace bullying can have extremely negative effects on the individual and within the workplace environment. Any form of bullying found to exist in the workplace will not be tolerated by SSDS.

Workplace bullying is repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a person or group of persons at the workplace, which creates a risk to health and safety. Bullying is a workplace hazard under Workplace, Health and Safety laws. Workplace bullying is NOT reasonable management action taken in a reasonable way.

Workplace bullying includes behaviours such as:

• Abusive, insulting or offensive language
• Excluding, isolating or marginalising others, deliberately or otherwise
• Behaving in a way that frightens or intimidates
• Humiliating others through sarcasm, belittling someone's opinions or unjustified criticism, including criticism delivered by yelling or screaming
• Teasing or making others the brunt of practical jokes
• Deliberately intruding on a person's space by pestering, spying or tampering with their work equipment or personal effects
• Spreading misinformation or malicious rumours
• Participating in 'collective bullying' or 'mobbing' which is used as a deliberate strategy to drive an individual from the workplace
• Setting impossible deadlines
• Meaningless tasks or unnecessary, unpleasant tasks
• Treating someone unfairly through rosters or workplace entitlements such as training and leave, which is repeated and malicious in nature
• Deliberately withholding information or resources necessary for effective work performance
• Carrying out initiation pranks and displaying offensive material at the workplace.

Contact Officers are a network established by SSDS to provide employees with a direct and confidential contact in their workplace should they feel they have been bullied.

Contact Officers can:

• Provide support and empathy to complainants
• Inform employees of the options available to resolve the complaint
• Promote the Company’s policy on the elimination of bullying in the workplace.

Employees should contact HR if they feel they or a colleague is being bullied in the workplace. Early prevention and identification of the bullying behaviours is a better outcome than damaged relationships at work or injury or illness. Not all workplace conflict constitutes bullying and all workplaces will experience some level of conflict from time to time.

Any employee found to have breached the company's policies through a fair investigation process and in line with legislation will face immediate and appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Senior Management will decide on action to rectify the complaint and will take steps to prevent it recurring. The most important step in any bullying situation is reporting it as soon as it happens. Employees are encouraged to report any concern to a Contact Officer, Manager or Supervisor.