Want to know about bullying at work?

A newspaper has published information on bullying in the workplace and the duty employers have to protect their staff from it.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, there is no singular piece of legislation that specifically defines and outlaws bullying at work.

Consequently, the newspaper stated it is not possible to bring a direct complaint to an industrial tribunal about bullying. Bullying and harassment are often terms used interchangeably – and there are pieces of legislation that outlaw harassment on certain grounds.

In every employment contract it is implied every staff member has the right to work in a healthy and safe working environment – and this means one that is free from discrimination, harassment and bullying.

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates. Company This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Work Email Keep up with the latest in HR... This field is hidden when viewing the form Optin_form This field is hidden when viewing the form Optin_date Year Month Day This field is hidden when viewing the form Batch_Newsletter

According to Lyn Witheridge, chief executive of The Andrea Adams Trust, organisations have to "raise awareness in their workplace of what bullying really is".

"Managers need to be trained and key people – like harassment advisers and investigators – have got to be put in place," she added.

Ms Witheridge claimed everyone wants to go to work, but they do not want to go to be beaten up – physically or psychologically.