Combating Workplace Bullying: Real-World Policies and Practices
Workplace bullying remains a significant challenge for organizations worldwide. This article presents practical strategies and policies to combat this issue, drawing on insights from experts in the field. Learn how to create a safer, more respectful work environment through clear standards, mental health support, and proactive measures.
- Create a Safe Environment with Clear Standards
- Prioritize Mental Health Through Confidential Support
- Implement Proactive Measures for Psychological Safety
- Foster Trust with Transparent Resolution Processes
- Build Culture Around Respect and Open Dialogue
- Address Neurodiversity in Workplace Bullying Prevention
- Conduct Regular Psychological Safety Check-ins
Create a Safe Environment with Clear Standards
We’ve made it a point to create an environment where everyone feels respected and safe. We’re not a corporate giant with a thousand layers of policy, but we’re clear and firm about what’s acceptable and what’s not. From day one, during onboarding, we set the tone—zero tolerance for bullying or harassment. It’s not just a line in a handbook; it’s part of how we work together daily. If anyone feels something’s off, they can speak directly to me or a team member they trust, without going through bureaucracy.
One specific practice we’ve found effective is our anonymous feedback channel. It lets team members flag any issues—whether it’s subtle exclusion or more overt behavior—without fear of repercussion. I remember a situation a while ago where someone raised a concern through that channel. It wasn’t something explosive, but it was real, and it was affecting their mental health. We addressed it quietly but firmly, realigned expectations, and followed up later to ensure it didn’t persist. That moment reminded me how easy it is to miss these things if you’re not paying attention.
We also run short, informal check-ins every other week, where mental health and team dynamics are on the table—not as an agenda item, but as a natural part of the conversation. No flashy programs—just honest talk, clear standards, and accountability.
Niclas Schlopsna
Managing Consultant and CEO, spectup
Prioritize Mental Health Through Confidential Support
We prioritize mental health support through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This program provides confidential counseling services for employees facing bullying or harassment and offers access to professional mental health resources so team members can seek help without stigma.
We regularly review and update our policies based on employee feedback to ensure they remain relevant and effective. We also encourage open dialogue through monthly town hall meetings, where employees can voice concerns and suggest improvements regarding workplace culture. We commit ourselves to a safe environment and empower our team to actively shape a respectful and supportive workplace.
Josh Qian
COO and Co-Founder, Best Online Cabinets
Implement Proactive Measures for Psychological Safety
We have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, supported by mandatory mental health training for managers to recognize and respond to toxic behaviors.
We have confidential reporting through an anonymous hotline, which allows employees to safely voice concerns without fear of retaliation. We also provide immediate access to counseling services for affected staff, ensuring psychological support is available.
I strongly advocate for proactive measures like these, as they not only reduce harm but also foster a culture of respect and psychological safety. Employers must prioritize mental health in anti-harassment policies; silence or inaction only perpetuates trauma.
Anand Mehta
Executive Director, AMFM Healthcare
Foster Trust with Transparent Resolution Processes
We don’t treat workplace bullying or harassment as a compliance issue—we treat it as a cultural one. The way people feel at work directly impacts not just their mental health but also their creativity, productivity, and willingness to collaborate. That’s why we’ve built proactive systems to ensure our team feels psychologically safe and supported, not just protected by policy.
One key practice we’ve implemented is anonymous reporting paired with transparent resolution. We use a third-party tool that allows any team member to report inappropriate behavior without fear of retaliation. But the important part is what happens after that. We’ve trained a designated response team—cross-functional, not just HR—to handle every report thoughtfully and quickly. We don’t sweep issues under the rug, and we don’t jump to conclusions. We listen, investigate, and then act decisively. And we communicate outcomes while protecting privacy, so people see we follow through.
Beyond that, we hold monthly check-ins—not just performance reviews, but real conversations where managers ask how people are doing, not just what they’re doing. We train leaders to spot signs of burnout, isolation, or conflict early. We’ve also built peer-led initiatives where team members create mental wellness resources and lead sessions on communication, conflict resolution, and inclusion.
Our stance is simple: if someone doesn’t feel safe speaking up, then our culture is broken. So we build trust first, and policy supports that trust—not the other way around. When you give people agency, clarity, and care, they speak up not just when something’s wrong—but when something can be better. And that’s when culture really starts to grow in the right direction.
Max Shak
Founder/CEO, nerDigital
Build Culture Around Respect and Open Dialogue
We’ve built our culture around respect and psychological safety from day one. Creating an environment where every team member feels valued isn’t just good for mental health—it’s essential for innovation and collaboration in our fast-paced industry.
We maintain a comprehensive anti-harassment policy with clear reporting mechanisms and a strict zero-tolerance approach. What makes our policy particularly effective is our emphasis on prevention through regular training sessions that go beyond compliance checkboxes. These interactive workshops explore real scenarios in technology workplaces and encourage open dialogue about boundaries and respectful communication.
One practice I’m particularly proud of is our “open door, closed loop” system. Team members can raise concerns through multiple channels—directly to managers, through our anonymous reporting tool, or via our HR portal. The “closed loop” ensures every report receives a defined response timeline and transparent resolution process.
We’ve also implemented quarterly wellness check-ins separate from performance reviews. These conversations focus solely on workload balance, stress management, and resource needs. During the pandemic, these evolved to include expanded mental health benefits and flexible scheduling options that we’ve maintained.
In my experience navigating the logistics technology space for years, I’ve seen how unaddressed workplace tension can derail entire projects and drive away top talent. That’s why we’ve made psychological safety a cornerstone of our leadership training.
The 3PL industry moves at lightning speed, with high stakes and tight deadlines. Creating a space where team members can bring their full, authentic selves to work without fear of bullying or harassment isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a competitive advantage that drives our innovation and success.
Joe Spisak
CEO, Fulfill.com
Address Neurodiversity in Workplace Bullying Prevention
While not directly related to your original question, I can provide some information on the problem of workplace bullying of neurodivergent employees and why not enough is done about it.
This issue is experienced far too commonly by neurodivergent (ND) people. For example, employees with ADHD are four times more likely to face bullying at work than people without ADHD.
A large part of the problem stems from a lack of understanding by leaders, managers, and HR regarding what ADHD really is and how it manifests. This means that when people with ADHD are not accepted for who they are and face discrimination or harassment from colleagues, those responsible for protecting these employees don’t know how to recognize what’s happening. There needs to be far more training, specifically condition-specific training, rather than broad-brush neurodiversity awareness.
Two examples of the above that I have personally witnessed:
1) The manager of an autistic person kept pushing them to make eye contact and smile more when presenting, saying it was unprofessional not to. The autistic person, feeling under pressure, then tried to do so. The result was the manager chastising them for “coming across weird” to people by staring at them with a forced smile. Colleagues of this person would roll their eyes during the presentations and gossip about them, implying it made them look unconfident in what they were presenting, even though they were actually good at getting results and their numbers were accurate.
These people did not know that avoiding eye contact and struggles with social communication are autistic traits.
2) A person with ADHD often asks lots of questions when being given instructions or direction by a manager, sometimes in a group setting. The manager gets frustrated at why the person doesn’t “get it” when other colleagues do. Some other colleagues laugh at the questions, deeming them “silly” questions with answers that should be obvious. They all start to form judgments about the ADHD person’s competence and intelligence based on them not understanding what is clear to others.
These people did not know that for people with ADHD, too much information will flood into their minds, meaning they will see multiple alternative meanings from what has been said and must ask questions to narrow down the directions and understand the expectations. The ADHD people will have different ideas that are obvious to them but not to others. None of this stops them from being good at their job.
Steve Ollington
Adhd Researcher, ADHDworking
Conduct Regular Psychological Safety Check-ins
In my psychiatric practice, we recognize that workplace bullying and harassment are not just HR issues; they are direct threats to mental health, capable of causing or worsening conditions like anxiety, depression, and even PTSD. While we have a strict zero-tolerance policy on paper, our most effective practice is one of active prevention: the “Psychological Safety Check-in.”
This isn’t a formal, intimidating review. Instead, during our regular team meetings, we intentionally create space to discuss the emotional climate of the workplace. I might ask questions like, “How has the energy of our collaboration felt this week?” or “Were there any situations that felt particularly stressful or unsupported?” The goal is to normalize conversations about workplace dynamics before they fester into genuine conflict.
This practice is rooted in a core psychiatric principle: creating a safe environment where concerns can be voiced without fear of retribution. Recently, a check-in revealed tension between two staff members over a new scheduling protocol. It wasn’t bullying, but it was causing palpable stress and resentment. By catching it early in this informal setting, we were able to mediate a solution that worked for everyone.
This proactive approach does more than just address problems as they arise. It actively fosters a culture of mutual respect and psychological safety. We find that the best way to protect our team’s mental health is to create an environment where bullying and harassment simply cannot find the space to take root.
Ishdeep Narang
Child, Adolescent & Adult Psychiatrist | Founder, ACES Psychiatry