Reports in the media are showing that worryingly, workplace bullying is on the rise due to coronavirus fears. It’s not just rumours about people bringing Covid-19 into the workplace, which is causing unease, people are increasingly feeling humiliated by others for following the proper protocols during the outbreak. We spoke to legal expert, Elisabeth Griffiths to ask their professional opinion on what carers can do to if they are being bullied in the workplace.

“Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect at work. If this is not happening or someone is making you feel uncomfortable or humiliated at work then you should try and sort out the issues informally first. If you cannot speak to the person directly (they may not realise how they are making you feel) then talk to your manager in the first instance, unless it is your manager who is bullying you and then you should talk to their manager or someone else in the organisation who you feel comfortable talking to. You could also speak to someone in your HR department and as a homecare worker you have the right to join a Trade Union who can offer you support and guidance. If the informal route does not work then you will need to make a formal complaint using the organisation’s grievance procedure which should be accessible to everyone. ACAS can offer support and guidance and details of how to access support are available on their website https://www.acas.org.uk/.

It is a good idea to keep a diary of when things are happening to you with dates and times, how it makes you feel, whether there are any witnesses to the events and any evidence of the bullying, particularly if you have screenshots of bullying emails or texts you have been sent.”

About Elisabeth: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/g/elisabeth-griffiths 

If you feel you would benefit from talking to one of our team about your rights as a carer, or get support in finding a new career or making a move into further education please contact us at enquiries@ntcarers.co.uk or call us on 0191 643 2298.