UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOURS

PERSONAL BEHAVIOURS
A list of unacceptable personal behaviours can be seen in the following table, with the most prevalent behaviours at the top of the table:

Ignoring/excluding/silent treatment/isolating
Malicious rumours or gossip
Belittling remarks/undermining integrity/ lies told about you/ sense of judgement questioned/ opinions marginalized
Public humiliation / eg making someone look stupid
Ridiculing/insulting/teasing/jokes/ ‘funny surprises’/sarcasm
Shouted or yelled at / ‘Bawling out’
Threats of violence (or threats in general)
Insulting comments made about your private life
Physical attacks
Attacking person’s beliefs, attitudes, lifestyle/appearance / devaluing with ref to gender / accusations of being mentally disturbed
Persistent criticism (often in front of others)
Using obscene/offensive language/gestures/material
Ganging up Colleagues/clients encouraged to criticise you or spy on you / Witch hunt/dirty tricks campaign / Singled out
Intimidation / acting in a condescending or superior manner
Intruding on privacy e.g., spying, stalking, harassed by calls etc when on leave/weekends
Sexual approaches/offers (unwanted) or unwanted physical contact
Verbal abuse
Inaccurate accusation
Insinuative glances/gestures/dirty looks
Tampering with personal effects / Theft/destruction of property
Encouraged to feel guilty

In a recent pilot study the Health & Safety Executive identified certain specific behaviours that constitute unacceptable behaviour as they are used as bullying tactics. These behaviours come into two categories, Personal Behaviours and Work-Related Behaviours. For example, personal behaviours include ‘Repeated offensive remarks about you or your private life’ or ‘Giving someone the ‘silent treatment’’. Work-related behaviours could include ‘Failing to transmit information needed by the victim ’ and ‘Given meaningless tasks’. These behaviours are listed below. The perpetrators of these behaviours may be contravening the HSE's Stress Management Standards (See Website).