5 Ways Employers Can Promote a Bully-Free Culture at Work

1. Don’t tolerate bullying, period. If your workplace has a problem with bullying, set a zero-tolerance policy and stick to it. Follow through by terminating employees who bully others and refuse to stop.
    
2. Culture change starts at the top. Ensure the CEO and company leadership is on board when it comes to creating a bully-free culture.
    
3. Encourage workers to report bullying. If the work force feels comfortable reporting bullying with no fear of retaliation, you will build a stronger culture overall.
    
4. Don’t protect bullies. Too often, company leaders maintain loyalty to bullies based on work performance or personal connections. Realize that a bully can damage morale and productivity or cause good employees to go running for the hills.
    
5. Promote tolerance. Make it clear that all employees, including those who may be perceived as “different” for whatever reason, are valued and must be treated with respect.

This is a companion piece to the feature “Beyond the Playground: When Bullying Elbows Its Way Into the Workplace.“