What is harassment?
Harassment is unwanted conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating another person's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for another person.
Unwanted conduct, whether physical, verbal, or non-verbal, must occur on two or more occasions.
Examples of harassment:
- Jokes, banter, taunts or insults
- Derogatory or unwelcome comments
- Excluding someone from a conversation or a social event or marginalising them from the group
- Unwanted physical behaviour
- Mimicking or making fun of someone
- Displaying offensive images
This list is not exhaustive, and other behaviour may constitute harassment. A single incident can amount to harassment.
Harassment, whether by colleagues or external parties like clients or suppliers, is not tolerated.
Immediate actions to take if you experience harassment
Ensure your safety:
- If you feel unsafe, find a trusted person or safe space.
- if you are in immediate danger or seriously injured, contact emergency services on 999.
Document what happened
- Write down what happened as soon as you can and record dates, times, locations and names of any witnesses.
- Keep any evidence such as emails, messages, or photos.
This is helpful, whether you decide to report it or not.
Reporting options
Experiencing harassment can leave you feeling anxious, isolated, or unsure of what to do next. Any form of harassment is unacceptable and against our Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy.
- Speak to the person: If you feel able to, you may choose to speak directly to the person involved and explain that their behaviour is unwelcome.
- Talk to someone: Concerns can be raised with your Contact Partner, Line Manager, Head of Department or People Team contact.
- Report + Support: If you do not feel comfortable speaking to someone initially, you can share details using the Report + Support platform. You can choose to do so anonymously or with your contact details. Further information about reporting can be found in the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ document.
Available support
Possibly support avenues could include:
Internal Support
- People Advisory Team: Offer professional guidance and wellbeing support to help you navigate a wide range of complex situations. The team provide a safe and impartial space to talk things through.
- Inclusion Ambassadors: Identified by pink and black lanyards, they offer peer-level support, promote awareness, and help foster a culture where everyone feels respected and heard.
- Mental Health First Aiders: Trained to provide initial support for mental health concerns, these colleagues are a first point of contact if you're struggling or need someone to talk to. They can listen without judgement, offer reassurance, and guide you towards appropriate professional help if needed.
External Support
- Employee Assistance Programme: Free, confidential support with a trained counsellor. You can call on 0800 015 5630 or visit their website at www.eap-carefirst.com (username: lifestyle1234 and password: carefirst)
- LawCare: Mental health support for legal professionals. You can call on 0800 279 6888 or visit their website at https://www.lawcare.org.uk.
Please refer to the 'Available Support' pages on the Report + Support platform for a comprehensive list of support.
Supporting others who have been subjected to harassment
If someone confides in you:
- Listen without judgement
- Offer practical help (e.g. accompany them to report and/or exploring support options)
- Help them explore their options but avoid pressuring them to any particular action
- Look after your own wellbeing too