Online abuse can take many forms and it can cause both psychological and physical harm. Online abuse is behaviour that uses technology to threaten, intimidate, bully, harass or humiliate someone.
Online abuse can take place on online platforms such as social media, online chat, and messaging services, by phone calls and text messages, email or other technology used at work. It can be from customers, clients or members of the public, and can also happen between workers and team members.
We all have a role to play
Like all WHS risks, organisations (PCBU’s) are required to take proactive steps to eliminate or minimise the risk of it occurring. Workers also have a role to play and must ensure that they take reasonable care of their own health and safety, and do not adversely affect the health and safety of others. This means workers must not carry out abusive online behaviours towards coworkers or other people at the workplace.
Some new Guidance Material
Safe Work Australia, in conjunction with the eSafety Commissioner, have developed some support for employers regarding online abuse. The eSafety Commissioner is Australia’s independent regulator for online safety and provides information about online abuse in the workplace, including:
- Resources to help employers understand online abuse and guidance on how to identify and manage online abuse and harassment in the workplace, including tech-based sexual harassment. This is a legal requirement of Australian employers under WHS laws.
- Resources for workers on how to report online abuse and harassment in the workplace, including tech-based sexual harassment.
3 Quick Actions You Can Take Right now
- Make sure your policies for Code of Conduct and Bullying & Harassment are up to date, in use and communicated
- Ensure you have a policy for appropriate technology use
- Make sure your workers receive training and information on your workplace policies and expected workplace behaviours
Want To Know More?
Online abuse in the workplace has clear links with the requirements for psychological safety at work. Download our Scorecard here on Psychological Safety Risk Management Success Factors to see how your organisation stacks up.
https://the-mindful-risk-group.kit.com/8fff0218b7
Reach out to me if you would like to know more, I’m always happy to chat. Have great week,
Bron