stop-small booklet

Stop
its not fair
tackling inappropriate
behaviour at work
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR
stop-small booklet.indd 1 5/29/2012 2:48:27 PM

tackling inappropriate
behaviour at work
The veterinary industry is well known
as being stressful and here at Medivet we
understand that banter, jokes and
interpersonal relationships between
colleagues are important for morale and
building teams. However, this can be
damaged beyond repair by inappropriate
behaviour. This guide gives information
about what is considered inappropriate
behaviour and, more importantly, the
best ways of dealing with it if you
perceive that someone is causing offence.
If you feel that someone has behaved
inappropriately, either verbally, physically, by
gesture or in writing (non-verbally) then you
should always challenge it to let them know
what they are doing is unacceptable. If you are
challenged about your inappropriate behaviour,
you should change it.
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR

“They all saw her
making fun of
me and did
nothing.
What do I do?”
How does inappropriate
behaviour affect people?
Being personally victimised, harassed or
bullied by a colleague's behaviour can
lead to extreme stress, sickness and loss
of confidence. All of these can be dam-
aging to that person's life at work and at
home. It can ruin the careers of victim
and perpetrator if it is not dealt with
quickly and as a priority.
How does inappropriate
behaviour affect Medivet?
Inappropriate behaviour damages eve-
rything that Medivet stands for. It can
cost us the confidence of our clients, the
respect of other veterinary profession-
als and the loss of talent. It also costs us
financially, not only in damages from
employment tribunals, but in the level
of performance by all employees
affected.
We expect all staff including
locums and temps to:
• Treat everyone with dignity, fairness
and respect when carrying out their
work
• Behave at all times with honesty,
trustworthiness and sincerity
• Value the diversity of others and the
benefits to Medivet
• Remember it is not whether you think
your actions or comments, whatever the
form, are acceptable. It is the views of
others who hear, see or experience your
actions
• Challenge inappropriate behaviour.
Do not let it continue, talk to the 'right
people' - even if you are not directly the
recipient
• Offer support where necessary - if a
grievance is raised it can be distressing
• Always act swiftly, time is of the essence,
especially to those who have experienced
or witnessed harassment
• Co-operate with investigations and
grievance procedures, in order for the
processes to move quickly.
What if I am a victim?
Harassment is not only about
intention but importantly your
perception.
Being on the receiving end of inappropri-
ate behaviour can be difficult to handle on
your own. It can affect your confidence
and ability to challenge the perpetrator.
If you are able to, tell the perpetrator that
you find what they are doing offensive
and ask them to stop.
• Never deal with this alone, request the
assistance of your: line manager, col-
league, area manager, trade union repre-
sentative
• Keep an on-going diary of each inci-
dent, including details of times, dates
and witnesses. This will be vital if further
action needs to be taken
• If inappropriate behaviour continues,
you can take formal action via the griev-
ance procedures. For further information
see the Medivet Staff Handbook.

“When I announced my
Civil Partnership people
stopped being civil.
What do I do?”
What if I am a line
manager?
All line managers should have the com-
petency to intervene and, if necessary,
initiate formal action where others'
behaviour undermines equality or
opportunity and diversity.
If you are a line manager and
receive a complaint about
someone's behaviour you must:
• Take immediate action, regardless of
whether or not the complaint is upheld
• Act with compassion and sympathy to
help staff feel confident in the process
• Deal with the complaint as strictly
confidential to ensure that the employ-
ee who made the grievance is protected
from any form of victimisation
• If the complaint is formal, follow the
process outlined in the Staff Handbook
on Grievance Procedures
Taking no action is not an option- this
in itself is inappropriate behaviour.
Depending on the severity of the com-
plaint for which no action was taken,
this could lead to disciplinary action
being taken.The level of seniority is an
irrelevant factor.
What if I am a witness?
Colleagues who witness any type of
inappropriate behaviour can complain,
regardless of whether the individual
affected wishes to take action.
Colleagues should be sympathetic and
understanding in such circumstances,
bearing in mind the sensitivity of the
situation and the distress which can be
caused.
What if I am challenged
about my behaviour?
Listen carefully to the nature of the
complaint and the specific
reasons that are raised. You should:
• Treat the complainant with respect
and dignity, apologising for any offence
caused
• Take any necessary action to change
inappropiate behaviours by way of under-
taking development or training
• Acknowledge responsibility for your
inappropriate behaviours and their con-
sequences
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR

Understanding inappropriate
behaviour and harassment
The following pages outline specific types of
inappropriate behaviour that can be perceived
as harrassment:
• Sexual harassment
• Racial harassment
• Disability harassment
• Harassment on the basis of
sexual orientation
• Harassment on the basis of
religion or belief
• Harassment on the basis of age
Inappropriate behaviour and harassment could include, colour of
hair, physical appearance or regional stereotypes. Anything that
causes an employee distress can be perceived as inappropriate
behaviour and should be stopped.
It also doesn’t matter where or when the inappropriate behaviour
occurs. If it is an individual or team that behaves inappropriately
to a colleague out of work and off duty, this is still inappropriate
behaviour and should be challenged in the same way.
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR

Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment can be defined as:
‘unwanted conduct of a sexual nature affecting the
dignity of men and women at work’
Verbal
• Unwelcome comments about
appearance, body or clothes
• Indecent remarks
• Comments about your sex life
• Requests for sexual favours
• Sexual demands made by someone
• Promises or threats concerning a
colleague's terms and conditions in
return for sexual favours
• Persistent suggestions for social
activity outside of work
• Innuendos
• Unwelcome jokes or banter
Non-verbal
• Leering/staring at a person's body
• Display of sexually explicit material
such as calendars, pin-ups or magazines
• Whistling or making sexually
suggestive gestures
• Comments in paper form, written,
email or text
Physical
• Physically touching, pinching,
caressing, kissing or hugging
• Sexual assault
• Coercing sexual intercourse
• Deliberately brushing against another
person
Treat people fairly
Show that you want to be fair. If you are a
manager, distribute work evenly and always
positively encourage your staff. Always avoid
trying to blame others and discuss it when things
go wrong.
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR

OPFAIR
Racial harassment
The targeting of an individual because of their race
or ethnicity. The harassment includes words, deeds
and actions that are specifically designed
to make the indvidual feel degraded
Verbal
• Telling racist stories or jokes
• Asking unwanted questions about
personal life
• Making racist slurs
• Making gratuitous comments about
a person's dress or appearance
• Verbal abuse or threats
• Derogatory remarks and name
calling
• Comments or manner of speaking
• Obscene telephone calls
• Racially motivated hate campaigns
• Malicious complaints
Non-verbal
• Deliberate exclusion of an individual
on racial grounds
• Displaying or circulating material,
including racist graffiti which may be
offensive to, or incite violence towards,
any group
Physical
• Physical assault
• Damage to personal property
• Intimidating or threatening behaviour
• Criminal action, including racial
violence or attack
Show respect for colleagues
Everyone has a different experience at work and
sometimes taking responsibility for things we have
done wrong takes courage. It may feel
uncomfortable to put things right and move
forward, so show you respect them for doing this.
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR

Disability harassment
unwanted behaviour based on disability, impairment
or additional need
Verbal
• Patronising objectionable
comments
• Inappropriate reference to
disability
• Unwelcome discussion of the im-
pact of disability
• Jokes about disability and
disabled staff
• Deliberate exclusion of staff with
disabilities from meetings or social
events
Non-verbal
• Mimicking the particular disability
• Refusal to work alongside a disabled
colleague
• Comments in paper form, written, text
or email
Physical
• Intimidating or threatening behaviour
Safety first
You should always promote a safe working
environment. If you are a manager, let your
staff know that you will always treat any
conversations and problems in confidence and
deal with anything that makes them feel
uncomfortable. Make it clear you will always
challenge inappropriate behaviour and that you
expect everyone to do the same.
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR

OPFAIR
Harassment on the basis of
sexual orientation
unwanted behaviour which is considered to be hostile
or offensive towards individuals, because of their
sexuality, sexual preferences, gender or lifestyle
Non-verbal
• Whistling or making sexually-sug-
gestive gestures
email or text
• Displaying homophobic material or
graffiti
• Ignoring colleagues because of their
sexual orientation
Physical
• Physical violence
• Threatening aggressive behaviour
Verbal
• Unwelcome comments about
appearance, body or clothes
• Indecent remarks
• Comments about an individual's
sex life
• Innuendos about sexuality
• Gossip and speculation about an
individual's sexuality
• Name calling
• Homophobic jokes
• Stereotyping
• Intrusive questioning about sexual
orientation
• Threatening unwanted disclosure of
sexual orientation
Get away from it all
Don't discount the power of time spent as a team
away from the workplace. It can bring people
together and you may learn something new about
each other. Team building events or away days are
not the only way of doing this-what about having
a team lunch once a month?
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR

religion or belief
unwanted behaviour based on religious beliefs or
practices
Verbal
• Derisory comments about an
individual's beliefs
• Unwanted comments on dress
• Ridiculing items worn for religious
reasons
• Dismissive treatment of requests for
holidays, religious or cultural festivals
Non-verbal
on the basis of their religion or belief
email or text
Physical
• Denigrating cultural customs
• Denigration or refusal of religious
obligations i.e. Salah (Islamic daily
prayer)or Shabbat (Jewish Sabbath)
• Intimidating or threatening
behaviour
Ask a question
Inappropriate behaviour often happens because
people forget to consider how others may be hurt,
embarrassed or upset by their actions or words.
Don't make assumptions about people, asking
questions can help you avoid embarrassment. It
is good to learn from each other and understand
why we are different. If someone engages with
you, be positive about what they are trying to
understand and don't confuse the desire to
understand with ignorance.
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR

OPFAIR
age
unwanted conduct that violates your dignity or
creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading,
humiliating or offensive environment for you
Verbal
• Telling ageist stories or jokes
• Derogatory remarks and name
calling
• Comments about an individual's
appearance or dress
• Unwanted questions about
private life
• Verbal abuse
• Comments that associate older
staff with ill-health or inability to
cope with technology
• Comments that associate young
people with unreliability or lack of
experience
Honesty is the best policy
Be honest about how working with your colleagues
makes you feel. If you are a manager, encourage
honest feedback on how your team works together.
If you feel uncomfortable about someone's
behaviour, be honest. If you can't challenge
someone out of fear or embarrassment, be honest
about it to someone else and ask for help.
Non-verbal
on the basis of their age
• Suggestive gestures in relation to age
• Comments in paper form, email or text
Physical
• Damages to personal property
• Intimidating or threatening
• Criminal action, including violence or
attack
STOPIT’S NOT FAIR

Erica.Starling@medivet.co.uk
01923 470037
Medivet Equality & Diversity Champion
Useful info
www.bullyonline.org
lots of useful information for anyone being bullied at
work
www.equalityhumanrights.com
useful information relating to rights and dignity at work
www.jfo.org.uk
Just fight On- information and support groups for those who
have been bullied at work
www.pcaw.co.uk
Public Concern At Work is an independent authority on
whistle blowing. Provides free help to whistleblowers and gives
advice
info@supportline.org.uk
01708 765200
Telephone Helpline providing confidential emotional support
to Children, Young Adults and Adults on any issue. Particu-
larly aimed at those who are vulnerable, isolated, at risk groups
and victims of any form of abuse. Also provides details of
counsellors and support groups across the UK
www.acas.org.uk
08457 474747
For information and advice on employment rights / bullying
at work

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