Eliminating Workplace Bullying and Harassment To Improve Employee Wellbeing

Overview

Our Mental Health and Wellbeing advisors assisted one of the world's largest globally diversified natural resource organizations in conducting a company-wide program to address bullying, harassment and harmful behavior.

Problem

A report in the Australian national press highlighted systemic bullying, sexual harassment, everyday sexism, racism, and harmful behavior in a similar company. Given the similarity in working environment, our client organization felt there might be identical, undiscovered, or underreported experiences. Therefore, a targeted investigation was necessary to understand the incidence and prevalence of bullying and harassment, especially among female employees.

Solution

Our advisors devised a psychosocial health and safety program that addressed the subject's sensitivity, the likelihood of disclosure, and the protection of employees' information. Given the importance of anonymity, our specialists developed a company-wide survey, followed by data analysis, solution-finding workshops, a report with recommendations, and an action plan. 

International SOS has been an invaluable partner in addressing our psychosocial health and safety needs. Their deployment of organisational psychologists, along with their comprehensive evaluation program, has provided us with the confidence that we have significantly improved employee wellbeing.

Health and Injury Manager (Australia).

Impact

By proactively addressing bullying, harassment, and other workplace risks, the organization demonstrated its commitment to providing a safe and respectful environment for employees. This approach helped safeguard the organization's reputation, signaling responsibility and ethical leadership. The program, in turn, mitigated the impact of adverse incidents on its public reputation. 

Employee morale went up by 15%, achieving a 30% improvement in the perceived commitment to employee wellbeing.