Bullying & Harassment

This Bullying and Harassment Training Online course helps employees, managers and organisations recognise unacceptable workplace behaviour, respond appropriately to concerns and strengthen a respectful working culture. Bullying, intimidation, harassment and retaliatory conduct can damage worker wellbeing, disrupt teams, weaken trust and expose organisations to complaints, employee relations problems and legal or regulatory scrutiny.

Through structured online learning, participants develop the awareness needed to distinguish bullying and harassment from legitimate workplace feedback, recognise subtle and digital misconduct, understand reporting responsibilities and support proportionate organisational responses. The course also examines prevention, bystander action, risk assessment, confidentiality, complaint handling and the responsibilities of managers and employers.

What Is Workplace Bullying and Harassment Training?

Workplace bullying and harassment training teaches people how to recognise, prevent, report and respond to behaviour that may cause psychological, physical, sexual or economic harm. It explains how inappropriate conduct can arise through spoken communication, physical actions, exclusion, abuse of authority, written messages, digital platforms or repeated patterns of unreasonable behaviour.

The training is designed to improve awareness before behaviour escalates into a serious workplace issue. It helps workers understand expected standards of conduct while supporting managers and organisations in developing fair policies, accessible reporting channels, suitable risk controls and consistent responses.

The International Labour Organization’s Convention No. 190 provides an international framework for addressing violence and harassment in the world of work, including gender-based violence and harassment. It applies to conduct connected with work, not only behaviour occurring inside a traditional workplace. 

Who Should Take Bullying and Harassment Training?

This course is suitable for:

• Employees and workers who need to understand acceptable conduct, reporting options and their responsibilities towards colleagues.

• Supervisors and team leaders responsible for recognising early warning signs and addressing inappropriate behaviour.

• Line managers who receive concerns, manage workplace relationships or initiate informal and formal responses.

• Human resources professionals supporting policies, complaints, investigations, record keeping and corrective actions.

• Health and safety teams responsible for identifying and managing psychosocial hazards.

• Compliance and ethics professionals overseeing codes of conduct, reporting systems and organisational accountability.

• Business owners and senior leaders seeking to build respectful, inclusive and psychologically safer workplaces.

• Remote and hybrid teams that need clear expectations for messaging platforms, video meetings, email and online collaboration.

What Does a Bullying and Harassment Course Cover?

This online bullying and harassment course covers definitions, legal and professional frameworks, unacceptable behaviours, power imbalances, cyberbullying, bystander action, reporting procedures, confidentiality and organisational prevention.

Learners also examine the difference between bullying, harassment, workplace conflict and reasonable management action. Practical scenarios show how misconduct may appear in offices, industrial workplaces, customer-facing environments, remote teams and digital communication.

The course provides broader awareness of sexual and gender-based harassment while maintaining a primary focus on bullying and general workplace harassment. Organisations seeking more detailed staff learning in that area may also consider GSA’s Sexual Harassment Prevention for Staff course.

Why Is Preventing Bullying and Harassment Important?

Bullying and harassment can affect concentration, confidence, attendance, communication and willingness to raise concerns. They may also contribute to stress, psychological harm and deteriorating workplace relationships. The World Health Organization identifies bullying and psychological harassment as recognised causes of work-related stress and related mental health problems. 

For organisations, poorly managed concerns can lead to:

• Increased absence, turnover and recruitment costs.

• Reduced trust in managers and reporting processes.

• Lower productivity and weaker team cooperation.

• Formal grievances, disputes or external complaints.

• Inconsistent disciplinary or investigation decisions.

• Reputational damage among employees, customers and business partners.

• Exposure under applicable employment, equality, anti-discrimination or occupational safety requirements.

Harassment and bullying are also recognised as psychosocial hazards. ISO guidance identifies harassment, bullying, stress and discrimination as issues that should be considered when organisations assess occupational health and safety risks. ISO 45003 provides guidance for managing psychosocial risks within an occupational health and safety management system. 

Training alone cannot prevent every incident. It is most effective when supported by leadership accountability, clear policies, meaningful consultation, trusted reporting routes, fair investigations and action when standards are breached.

By completing this course, learners can improve their ability to recognise warning signs, make informed decisions, use reporting procedures responsibly and contribute to a safer and more respectful workplace.