EKKO – bullying, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment and violence
Bullying, harassment, and violence in the workplace can create a sense of insecurity and distress among employees. Such behaviour should never be tolerated, and it is crucial for employers and managers to implement strong preventive measures and respond promptly in accordance with the regulations on addressing bullying, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, and violence.
Below, you will find useful information to help both managers and employees foster a healthy work environment where bullying, harassment, and violence have no place.
Definitions, videos and examples
Repeated behaviours that are generally likely to cause distress to the person subject to it, such as humiliating, insulting, hurting, or threatening the person or causing them fear. Differences of opinion or differences of interest do not fall under this category.
Bullying is an individual experience. Bullying is a serious issue that managers and co-workers have a duty to address. Complaints about bullying must always be taken seriously.
Examples of bullying:
Slander, gossip
Offensive words
Harsh criticism
Isolation, exclusion
Discrepancies in the allocation of tasks
Hiding information
Sabotage
Mental health questioned
Digital
Video: Bullying, harassment, violence: How is the response at your workplace
The video discusses ways to prevent bullying, harassment, and violence in the workplace and responses according to the health and safety plan if such issues arise.
Harassment can be both sexual and/or gender specific.
Sexual harassment is defined as sexual conduct of any type that has the purpose, or the effect, of offending the dignity of the person affected by it, particularly when the conduct leads to threatening, hostile, degrading, humiliating or insulting situations. The conduct may be verbal, symbolic and/or physical.
Each individual must judge for themselves what behaviour they tolerate and from whom. It is always a subjective assessment whether the behaviour is sexual or not. Sexual harassment can take many forms, including verbal, symbolic, and physical actions. Sexual harassment is a serious issue that both managers and employees should take seriously and address promptly whenever it occurs. Severe cases of harassment may fall under criminal law, even if it occurs only once.
Examples of manifestation of sexual harassment:
Verbal behaviour examples: Ambiguous comments or jokes with sexual undertone. Symbolic behaviour examples: Sending unwelcome messages or sharing images with sexual undertone. Physical behaviour examples: Inappropriate physical contact, like grabbing or pulling someone without their consent.
Additional examples:
Entering a person’s personal space, such as leaning over them or confining them
Unwelcome touching, groping and fondling
Unwelcome hugs, kisses, pats or strokes
Physical violence such as hitting, shaking or spanking
Unwelcome sexual or gender-related jokes, teasing, questions or comments about the clothing or appearance of employees
Personal questions about sex and pressure for sexual favors
Employees are asked to dress inappropriately
Unwelcome invitations to a date
Unwelcome sexual eye contact or other behaviour that indicates something sexual
Hanging up posters, calendars, or photos that contain sexually explicit material or humiliate one’s gender
Sending or displaying sexual content, for example, through social media applications
Video: What is sexual harassment in the work environment?
This video discusses what sexual harassment is and how it can manifest itself in behaviour and language in the workplace.
Harassment can be both sexual and/or gender-specific.
Gender-based harassment is defined as any conduct with the gender of the person who experiences it and has the purpose, or the effect, of offending the person´s dignity and creating situations that are threatening, hostile, degrading, humiliating or insulting to the person.
Gender based harassment is a serious issue that both managers and employees should take seriously and address promptly whenever it occurs.
Severe cases of harassment may fall under criminal law, even if it occurs only once.
Examples of gender-based harassment:
Inappropriate language or behaviour about someone's gender or sexuality
Humiliating or belittling comments about a person's gender and their abilities.
Holding negative views about a particular gender in the workplace.
Having prejudices against individuals based on their gender.
Video: Gender-based harassment in the work environment
The video explains gender-based harassment and explores how it can manifest in workplace interactions and behaviour.
Violence is any behaviour that leads to or could lead to physical or psychological injury or suffering on the part of the person who experiences it, and also the threat of such conduct, coercion or random deprivation of freedom. Violence can be either psychological or physical. Violence is a serious matter that both managers and employee should take seriously and address promptly whenever it occurs. Even a single incident of violence can be punishable under criminal law.
Examples of violence:
When someone hurts someone else, for example by kicking, hitting, or pinching
Threatening to hurt someone
Sexual violence is when someone gropes an employee or makes them do something sexual that they do not want to do
Sexual harassment with words and gestures is also violence
When a device or technology is used to monitor, threaten, harass or humiliate employees
Isolating the person from colleagues, monitoring or controlling communication with others
Ignoring, calling people names and/or shouting at them
Video: Violence in the work environment
The video explores violence in the work environment, both physical and psychological, and its different forms of manifestation
Risk factors and consequences
In the workplace, it's crucial to assess various risk factors to prevent bullying, harassment, or violence. Such behaviours can emerge under diverse circumstances. Examples of these risk factors include changes in the work environment, like the introduction of new processes or job roles, communication dynamics among co-workers, and time pressures when completing tasks.
At times, conflicts may begin as disagreements over professional matters, tasks, or approaches, often temporary and potentially constructive. However, if left unresolved, these conflicts can escalate, leading to communication difficulties and perceptions of bullying, harassment, or violence.
Bullying, harassment, and violence can result in serious consequences, causing harm to the physical and mental health of victims and witnesses. Moreover, they can negatively impact job satisfaction, performance, and the reputation of the workplace.
The repercussions of bullying, harassment, and violence extend beyond the individual and affect the broader society. They incur social costs, including illness, prolonged absences from work, medical expenses, and in severe cases, disability.
Bullying, harassment, and violence can happen in various settings and circumstances within the work environment. Here are some examples:
At work-related events like seminars and conferences.
In locations where employees perform work duties outside the usual workplace.
After regular working hours.
From coworkers or third parties, such as service users or customers with whom employees interact for work purposes.
Through verbal communication between workers or in written messages like text messages or emails.
On social media
While anyone can face bullying, harassment, and violence in the workplace, research suggests that certain groups are more vulnerable. It's crucial to consider this in workplace risk assessments. Here are some findings from studies:
Women are significantly more at risk of experiencing sexual harassment than men.
Employees with reduced working capacity or disabilities are at a higher risk of being bullied compared to others.
Employees of foreign origin are more likely to face bullying than their counterparts.
Numerous factors in the work environment can increase the risk of bullying, harassment, and violence, including organisation, management, and communication. Here are some examples worth keeping an eye on:
Workload, working hours, project deadlines, and expectations
Diversity of projects and how work is organised—do they align with employees’ capabilities?
Autonomy and flexibility in work arrangements
Clarity regarding roles and job demands for both managers and employees
Communication about changes in the work environment—are employees adequately informed?
Information sharing and communication channels within the workplace
Workplace culture, team dynamics, and communication patterns
Support provided by managers and coworkers
How are professional conflicts resolved in the workplace?
Lack of trust in relationships can also pose a risk for bullying, harassment, and violence. Trust is essential for fostering psychosocial safety, enabling employees to express concerns and address issues, including those related to bullying, harassment, and violence.
Bullying, harassment, and violence can seriously affect the safety and well-being of employees, and they can also have negative impact on the entire workplace. The consequences of the behaviour may lead to absenteeism, mental distress, burnout, and depression among employees, impacting their job security, performance, and satisfaction. Furthermore, these behaviours can lower productivity and competitiveness in the workplace.
Managers roles and responsibilities
One of employer´s key responsibility is to promote the safety, health, and well-being of their employees by prioritising prevention and prompt response.
Part of this responsibility involves fostering healthy communication and preventing bullying, harassment, and violence. Managers play a pivotal role in establishing a work environment that prohibits such behaviour and taking prompt action when issues arise, and according to the workplace health and safety plan. It's essential for employers to acquaint themselves with regulations addressing actions against bullying, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, and violence in the workplace.
Employers must evaluate the risk of bullying, harassment, and violence occurring in the workplace. The evaluation is placed as part of a written risk assessment document. Subsequently, they must take proactive measures to prevent these risks from happening, or at the very least, minimise their likelihood. Such preventive actions, outlined in the health protection and prevention plan, along with responses to incidents of bullying, harassment, or violence, should be integral parts of the workplace health and safety plan.
Workplace statement against bullying, harassment, and violence Employers must communicate to employees that bullying, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, and violence are not tolerated in the workplace. It's beneficial to provide clear examples of various forms of such behaviour.
Responses to incidents of bullying, harassment, and violence Employers should outline the steps to be taken in response to complaints about bullying, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, or violence in the workplace.
For further guidance, refer to the EKKO case process flowchart, designed to support managers in handling cases of bullying, harassment, and violence—from the initial report to case resolution.
The flowchart includes a checklist to ensure proper case management and fair handling of complaints.
Employers must act with care, sensitivity, and respect for the privacy and well-being of all parties involved throughout the process.
Open dialogue /debrief (Viðrun)
Open dialogue or discussions between managers and employees can be an effective way to reduce the risk of bullying, harassment, and violence in the workplace.
A manager can create a safe space or platform for employees and encourage them to to discuss their experiences or concerns about the work environment, including complaints about expected bullying, harassment and violence.
These conversations also allow managers to provide necessary information and support, such as explaining complaint procedures, key definitions, reporting processes, and the role of different stakeholders involved in handling such matters.
When incidents related to bullying, harassment, or violence arise, the employer must always take action by assessing the situation and speaking with the individuals involved. Regardless of whether the case is officially classified as bullying, harassment, or violence, employers must still take steps to strengthen prevention measures and ensure a safe work environment.
Examples of preventive actions employers can take include:
Clarifying job roles and responsibilities
Providing additional training on bullying, harassment, and violence
Fostering a positive workplace culture by reinforcing healthy communication and teamwork
You can also watch a video explaining the EKKO case process for handling these issues effectively below.
Video: Prevention and response measures to bullying, harassment and violence in the work environment
The video explores ways to prevent bullying, harassment, and violence in the workplace, as well as the appropriate response procedures outlined in the workplace health and safety plan if such incidents occur. It also covers additional preventive measures that managers can implement, such as open dialogue (viðrun) and developing a workplace communication agreement.
EKKO Case Process flowchart
The purpose of this flowchart is to support managers in handling cases related to bullying, harassment, and violence, from the moment a complaint is received until the case is closed.
A checklist is included with the process to help ensure fair and thorough case management.
The purpose of the flowchart is to support managers when issues related to bullying, harassment and violence arise - from the time a complaint or notification is received until the case is considered closed.
Actions in the flowchart are in accordance with the requirements made when resolving such cases in Regulation no. 1009/2015 on Actions Against Bullying, Sexual Harassment, Gender-Based Harassment and Violence in the Workplace.
This flowchart does not apply to a debrief where staff may seek information or advice from a manager in relation to a perceived communication problem or difficult experience in the workplace, including harassment, violence and bullying.
The flowchart comes with a checklist which is good to take into account to ensure a good procedure.
The employer must record everything related to the processing of the case.
In the Health and Safety Plan, it is good to state:
That everything related to the processing of a case will be recorded and in what way that recording will be carried out.
How case data will be stored and what is included in the storage of confidential data.
During all recording, the requirements for fair and objective processing and reliability of personal information must be observed. Special care may need to be taken when recording information that can have a very negative effect on the recorded person, and it is then generally necessary to assess how reliable the information is.
The flowchart is accompanied by URLs that lead to further supporting material:
It is important to respond to a complaint or notification about EKKO as soon as possible. When processing such cases, it is necessary to respond in accordance with the written workplace health and safety plan. See also checklist for managers
The Health and Safety plan must include:
Where employees can turn in order to make a complaint or notification about EKKO within the workplace (e.g. to the employer, human resources manager, manager or occupational health and safety representative, either in conversation or electronically).
It is necessary to inform other parties to the case about the facts of the case, to the extent necessary for the investigation of the case, taking into account the Act on Personal Data Protection and the Processing of Personal Information, in order to ensure fair proceedings.
The employer must assess the situation in cooperation with the workplace's safety representative when relevant, and with outside experts if needed.
Every case is different, so what needs to be assessed depends on the situation. This usually involves talking to the people involved.
Anyone handling the case should do so with care and sensitivity, always respecting the privacy and dignity of employees.
The workplace health and safety plan should include:
How the situation will be assessed to determine whether bullying, harassment, or violence has occurred in the workplace.
It’s also helpful for the plan to mention:
That the focus will be on assessing the facts of the case.
Examples of the kind of information people involved in the case may be asked to provide—for instance, electronic messages.
Employees involved must be given the opportunity to share their views and perspectives.
It’s helpful for the workplace health and safety plan to include the following points:
That, in most cases, conversations are held with one person at a time.
Who may be present during these conversations, such as the safety representative, HR manager, or an external party handling the case.
That the employer may choose to have an external party conduct the conversations.
That individuals involved can request to bring a support person with them, such as a union representative, safety delegate, or lawyer.
Adapting work conditions
The workplace health and safety plan should include:
How working conditions will be managed while a case is under review.
It’s also helpful for the plan to mention:
That, at the very beginning of the process, it should be considered whether any temporary or long-term adjustments are needed to help those involved feel as safe and comfortable as possible while the case is being reviewed.
Examples of possible adjustments, such as changes to shifts, teams, or workstations—or even temporary leave from work.
Who is involved in the case review'
The employer must decide who will be involved in reviewing the case within the workplace.
The workplace health and safety plan should include:
Who may take part in the case review—for example, the CEO, direct supervisor, HR manager, or safety representatives.
It’s also helpful for the plan to state:
That the employer can always choose to involve an external party if needed.
It is important to inform the relevant employees about the conclusion of the case, whether or not the investigation revealed that there was bullying, harassment or violence.
In the Health and Safety Plan, it is good to state:
That once an assessment has been carried out, a decision will be made as to whether or not there was bullying, harassment or violence occurring.
How the decision will be presented to the relevant employees and occupational health and safety representatives in the workplace.
The employer must take action when the outcome of the case is known and promote prevention to ensure the safety, health and well-being of employees.
Actions
The workplace health and safety plan should state that:
The employer must take action once a decision has been made, to eliminate the situation that was reported and prevent it from happening again.
It should include examples of actions that may be taken if the case involves bullying, harassment, or violence.
It should also mention what actions may be taken if the issue relates to communication between employees and third parties, such as clients, customers, or service users.
It’s also helpful for the plan to note that:
Actions will always depend on the specific case and may vary in scope.
Examples of possible actions:
Restructuring work schedules or working conditions, including possible job reassignment.
Steps to ensure employee safety when dealing with third parties, if relevant.
Reporting the case to the police in serious situations.
Providing appropriate and varied support to the people involved.
Reviewing the workplace risk assessment.
Preventions
The workplace health and safety plan should include:
That the employer will take preventive action once a decision has been made, in order to eliminate the conditions that were reported or to prevent them from happening again.
Examples of preventive actions that may be taken if it is concluded that bullying, harassment, or violence occurred.
It’s also helpful for the plan to note:
That actions will depend on the nature of the case and may vary in scope.
Examples of preventive actions:
Reviewing the risk assessment to better identify situations in the work environment that could lead to bullying, harassment, or violence (EKKO cases).
Providing training and education for employees, including managers.
Creating a communication or behavior agreement.
Presenting the workplace health and safety plan to staff.
Taking steps to strengthen a healthy workplace culture.
An employer must take action when the outcome of the case is known and promote prevention to ensure the safety, health and well-being of employees, even if the outcome is that there was no bullying, harassment or violence.
Actions
The workplace health and safety plan should include:
That the employer will take action once a decision has been made, in order to eliminate the conditions that were reported or prevent them from recurring.
Examples of actions that may be taken to eliminate the conditions that were the subject of the complaint.
Examples of actions that may be taken if the incident involves a third party, such as a customer or client.
It’s also helpful for the plan to note:
That actions will depend on the nature of the case and may vary in scope.
Examples of possible actions include:
Dialogue and mediation.
Restructuring work schedules and working conditions, including reassignment.
Measures to ensure staff safety when dealing with third parties, if applicable.
Providing appropriate and varied support for those involved.
Prevention
The workplace health and safety plan should include:
That the employer will take preventive action once a decision has been made, in order to eliminate the conditions that were reported or to prevent them from recurring.
Examples of actions that may be taken to eliminate or prevent the recurrence of the reported conditions.
It’s also helpful for the plan to note:
That actions will depend on the nature of the case and may vary in scope.
Examples of preventive actions:
Reviewing the risk assessment to better identify situations in the work environment that could lead to communication problems.
Providing training and education for employees, including managers.
Creating a communication agreement.
Presenting the workplace health and safety plan to employees.
Taking steps to strengthen a healthy workplace culture.
The employer must evaluate the success of the actions that have been taken following an EKKO case.
The Health and Safety Plan must include:
How the success of the actions taken will be assessed.
How the need for further preventive measures will be assessed.
In the Health and Safety Plan, it is good to state:
Examples of some of the ways that will be used to measure success.
Examples of ways to evaluate the effectiveness of actions:
Interviews with employees.
Employee surveys about well-being at work.
Information about employees’ sickness absences can provide clues about the general well-being of staff.
The employer must keep the relevant employees and the occupational health and safety representatives in the workplace informed.
The Health and Safety Plan must include:
How information should be disclosed within the workplace during the processing of a case, including to the relevant employees and the occupational health and safety representative in the workplace.
How the employer discloses information within the workplace, including to the relevant employees and occupational health and safety representative, that the case has been closed on their part.
In the Health and Safety Plan, it is good to state:
How information about the progress of the case will be communicated to the relevant employees.
That in all discussion of the case inside and outside the workplace, the Act on Personal Data Protection and the Processing of Personal Information will always be taken into account.
Careless dissemination of information about bullying, harassment and violence that has not been verified or further investigated can spoil subsequent investigations, whether by the police or the employer.
When the employer considers that the case has been closed on their part, they must inform the employees concerned as well as the occupational health and safety representative in the workplace about it.
In the Health and Safety Plan, it is good to state:
How information will be disclosed that the case is closed on behalf of the workplace, both to the relevant employees and within the workplace.
What is included in the disclosure (other than the case being closed by the employer).
From the time the employer has informed that the case is closed, the parties have six months to request written confirmation of this.
