Can some lovely HR saavy type out there define "bullying" for me?

[AtheneNoctua]

I need to the definition so I can decide if I have reasonable grounds to report a complete arse to HR on grounds of bullying.

I am soooooo but have managed to keep my cool, which is rather uncharacteristic of me frankly.

[flowerybeanbag]

Here you go AN

'Bullying may be characterised as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.'

The legal definition is if the behaviour 'has the purpose or effect of violating the complainant?s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment'.

It is not the intention of the perpetrator that is key in deciding if harassment or bullying has occurred, but whether the behaviour is unacceptable by reasonable normal standards and is unwelcome to the person or people subjected to it or witnessing it.

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So whether the person feels bullied is important as opposed to whether the person intends to bully or would say they are bullying.

If you have a look here ACAS has a leaflet for employees about bullying, definitions, examples and what to do.

Hope that's helpful, do you want to explain a bit more about what's been happening?

[AtheneNoctua]

Thanks flowery. I'll have a look.

[frecklyspeckly]

I dont work for HR but I was severely bullied by a complete bitch about 10 years ago as a young graduate. It was horrendous; although I got out to a much nicer job I now bitterly regret in doing so she got 'off the hook' and went on to bully others. Just to say good luck and be brave X.

[AtheneNoctua]

Thanks. But I'm not sure if it's really bullying. I think I've decided he is just an arse in general.

When I don't do what he wants (like his typing, which is clearly not my job), he goes out of his way to make me look bad in front of my boss. You know, starts a new e-mail and says Athene has asked me to do X, where is clearly my job and something I never asked him to do. And he dos the whole thing just to make me look like a twat. So I do knid of think it is bultying because the whole thing is orchestrated to harm me.

But, it's probably not exactly an air tight case so I think I'll let it go for now.

[bottersnike]

As flowerybeanbag says, if you feel like you are being bullied, then that's enough to take your complaint to the HR department.
They would have to act on your complaint, otherwise if the situation became untenable and you decided to leave your job, you could rightly sue the company for constructive dismissal.
Any HR person worth their salt will know this!

Good luck!