Preventing offensive behaviour

A healthy culture in which offensive behaviour does not occur is characterised by:

• A common understanding that offensive behaviour is unacceptable.
• A good psychological work environment with a sense of humour, room for a smile and mutual respect for one another.
• A perception that preventing offensive behaviour is a shared task. Everyone has a responsibility to intervene in a situation of offensive behaviour – both the person being subjected to offensive behaviour and the person witnessing offensive behaviour.
• Being aware of your own and others' boundaries and being open about them. There is an ongoing dialogue about the tone in the team/department, where you can talk openly about offensive behaviour and/or a bad tone.
• Confidence in the community, i.e. the manager and colleagues, and confidence that you can object when others cross your boundaries, or if you witness offensive behaviour. You are not perceived as sensitive or delicate.
• Disagreements being nipped in the bud, so that they do not result in offensive behaviour.

• Please note that managers and others in a mentor role or similar role have a special responsibility to always act professionally and objectively and in this way prevent offensive behaviour.
• Communicate clearly that offensive behaviour is unacceptable and encourage everyone to say no to offensive behaviour.
• Talk about the tone of communication and the culture you want in your unit on a regular basis. Involve the union representative, occupational health and safety representative and your HR partner, if relevant. You can talk about this topic e.g. at department meetings, committee meetings and in the SDDs. Find dialogue materials here.
• In case of conflicts, assess whether the parties need support to help them move on. Offer support to resolve the conflict so that unresolved conflicts do not result in offensive behaviour.
• Help to create a culture in which we say no to discrimination based on race, gender, age etc.
• Be aware that behaviour might be clearly offensive, or it may not be so obvious, and that it can be expressed verbally, physically and digitally.

Take responsibility together for a culture in which:

• You respect each other’s boundaries and it is OK to say no to offensive behaviour.
• Constructive communication is maintained, also when we disagree.
• We have an open dialogue about the way we communicate and collaborate.
• We say no to discrimination based on race, gender, age etc.

Be aware

• of your own and other people's boundaries.
• that we have different boundaries and there must be room for everyone and for our differences.

Contact your manager, occupational health and safety representative or union representative if you need advice on how to deal with specific observations or incidents.

Read AU’s guidelines for dealing with offensive behaviour and norms for daily working life.