Dignity at Work Policy

Towards the Elimination of Bullying, Harassment and Slavery in the Workplace Sphere UK are committed to providing a pleasant working environment for all our staff which is free from harassment, bullying and intimidation of any nature.  Every member of our firm has a responsibility to treat colleagues with dignity and respect, irrespective of their race, sex, marital or health status, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, political conviction or membership or indeed non-membership of any trade union of professional organisation.  We will not condone or tolerate bullying or harassment in any form as we believe such behaviour is totally unacceptable.  

 

Definitions:

 

Harassment

 

Any behaviour, which is un-warranted, un-reciprocated and offensive to another.  This can take the form of physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct. The types of unacceptable behaviour involved may include, unwelcome, unreciprocated or offensive conduct with regard to race, disability, sex, sexuality, religion, age or any other grounds.

 

Bullying

 

Any persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, abuse of poser or unfair penal sanctions which make the recipient feel upset, threatened, humiliated or vulnerable or which undermine an individuals self confidence. Harassment may be persistent or an isolated incident and may be directed towards any individual or group of individuals at work, by any one individual or by a group of individuals.

 

We will treat bullying and harassment as matters of serious or gross misconduct depending on the circumstances which will be subject to action under disciplinary procedures.  We will also recognise that it can be a criminal offence to intentionally harass or cause distress to anyone and this policy does not deny or inhibit in anyway whatsoever either our rights or the employee’s rights.

 

Anti-Slavery Policy:

 

We will: 

(a) maintain clear policies and procedures preventing exploitation and human trafficking, and protecting our workforce and reputation

(b) be clear about our recruitment policy  

(c) check our supply chains 

(d) lead by example by making appropriate checks on all employees, recruitment agencies, suppliers, etc. to ensure we know who is working for us 

(e) ensure we have in place an open and transparent grievance process for all staff 

(f) seek to raise awareness so that our colleagues know what we are doing to promote their welfare 

(g) make a clear statement that we take our responsibilities to our employees and our clients seriously 

 

Identifying slavery 

 

There is no typical victim and some victims do not understand they have been exploited and are entitled to help and support. However, the following key signs could indicate that someone may be a slavery or trafficking victim.

1 The person is not in possession of their own passport, identification or travel documents. 

2 The person is acting as though they are being instructed or coached by someone else. 

3 They allow others to speak for them when spoken to directly.

4 They are dropped off and collected from work. 

5 The person is withdrawn or they appear frightened. 

6 The person does not seem to be able to contact friends or family freely. 

7 The person has limited social interaction or contact with people outside their immediate environment. 

This list is not exhaustive. Remember, a person may display a number of the trafficking indicators set out above but they may not necessarily be a victim of slavery or trafficking. Often you will build up a picture of the person’s circumstances which may indicate something is not quite right. 

If you have a suspicion, report it.

 

Procedure

 

Where an individual believes that they have been bullied, harassed or suspect slavery there are a number of options available to them dependent upon the circumstances of their own particular situation.  They should:

 

1. Seek a Confidential Discussion with a Director.

 

2. Make a Formal Complaint in writing detailing the basis upon which the alleged bullying or harassment has taken place.