Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Bullying and harassmentHR practice

Investigating Bullying and Harassment – the need to develop an effective procedure.

by Personnel Today 1 Mar 2010
by Personnel Today 1 Mar 2010

The recent allegations that staff in the Prime Minister’s office are working in a fear culture have put the topic of bullying at work centre stage.  Never has it been more important that companies effectively investigate formal complaints of bullying and harassment in a robust and fair manner.

For the past 16 years, Jean Kelly Consultancy Ltd have been dealing with this contentious issue.    Their advice is that when formal complaints of Harassment and Bullying are submitted, it is vital that the company has a sound investigation procedure for investigators to follow. 

However, Jean Kelly writes, “From my experience, many organisations’ policies merely state that a formal complaint will be investigated fairly and within a certain timescale.  They give few details of the exact procedure that will be followed – leaving investigators unclear about how to begin and prepare for the investigation, the correct method to follow and how to advise complainants, witnesses and respondents as to what will happen during the process.  Clearly this is a dangerous path to take.  If investigators are uncertain and go off on a frolic of their own, the company has few safeguards in place to ensure the procedure is robust and fair.”

Jean adds, “One of the main grounds for appeal following an investigation is that the procedures have not been followed or fairly applied.  If a company does not have effective procedures in the first place, how can it protect itself from time-consuming and damaging appeals?”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

For this reason, Jean Kelly Consultancy have developed a Checklist to help any organisation develop clear guidelines for investigators when faced with the onerous task of investigating a formal complaint of harassment, bullying, discrimination and/or victimisation.  Using the checklist, each company or organisation can answer the questions to suit their own work practices and to establish that the procedures are in line with their general grievance procedures. 

If you would like to develop an effective procedure when investigating formal complaints of bullying and harassment download a free copy of this Checklist from www.jeankellyconsultancy.co.uk so that you can develop a proven procedure for the responsible task of conducting investigations.

Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
Russell HR Consulting launches fixed rate hotline
next post
2010 talent management survey reveals growing confidence

You may also like

How to manage workplace investigations effectively

5 Sep 2025

Decision to sack man for Michael Jackson noises...

29 Aug 2025

MoD worker loses harassment claim over lack of...

27 Aug 2025

‘Noisy and boisterous’ younger colleagues not age-related harassment

20 Aug 2025

Worker awarded £3,000 for ‘Slave’ graffiti employer had...

7 Aug 2025

Recruitment: don’t write off personality tests amid AI...

7 Aug 2025

HR software firm discriminated against woman on maternity...

25 Jul 2025

Coldplay couple: why should they lose their jobs?

25 Jul 2025

Beware the unintended consequences of the NDA ban

16 Jul 2025

Gregg Wallace investigation: 45 allegations upheld

14 Jul 2025

  • Work smart – stay well: Avoid unnecessary pain with centred ergonomics SPONSORED | If you often notice...Read more
  • Elevate your L&D strategy at the World of Learning 2025 SPONSORED | This October...Read more
  • How to employ a global workforce from the UK (webinar) WEBINAR | With an unpredictable...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits Live
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise