The recent allegations of bullying against star radio host Ray Hadley, serve as a reminder to employers of the potential dangers posed by inaction towards complaints of bullying by a star employee. Indeed, the greater the status of an employee, the more an organisation stands to lose if allegations of bullying are not dealt with in line with best practice.

The “fresh allegations” which have surfaced this week, refer to alleged events which occurred many years ago, even dating as far back as 1984, showing that these issues require careful management and cannot simply be swept under the rug.

What are the possible consequences of bullying/harassment?

Bullying has become a buzzword in recent times and any claims against a public figure can attract a frenzy of media coverage. This means that some victims may be hesitant in coming forward with claims for fear of unwanted attention on top of what they might already be dealing with.

Conversely, victims may be motivated to go to the media by the desire to enact revenge, extract financial compensation or take the opportunity to have their moment in the spotlight. This can result in damage to the brand and reputation of an organisation, or of any individuals caught up in the situation.

Employers must be wary of the attitude that star employees are worth protecting from these sorts of allegations, as this will benefit no-one in the long term. If exposed, a cover up will damage the brand and reputation of both employee and employer, and an organisation risks seeing valuable employees walk out the door if they feel that fair procedures are not in place.

Workplace bullying can cause lasting physical, mental and psychiatric harm to victims and their close ones. This may also have a flow-on effect to productivity and culture and within an organisation.

Furthermore, if a victim suffers psychiatric or physical harm and sues in tort, the employer may be found vicariously liable, as well as breaching their own non-delegable duty of care not to expose employees to reasonably foreseeable risks of harm. For example, in the case of Sneddon v The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly an employer was held liable to the tune of $438,613, for past and future economic loss arising when a senior manager was found to have bullied an assistant.

So, what can you do?

It is now increasingly important for employers to manage proactively the reputational damage which can accompany allegations of bullying, and not to be seen to be tolerating or turning a blind eye because a particular employee is a well-known or highly successful individual. In other words, you need to manage bullying by a star employee.

Dealing with the issues and discontent resulting from bullying, internally and before they escalate is crucial in avoiding a situation such as the one 2GB is currently facing. The best practice is to have very clear policies prohibiting bullying as well as accessible and confidential procedures for handling complaints and managing investigations.

Employees who believe they are being bullied also may apply to the Fair Work Commission’s anti-bullying jurisdiction for an order to stop the bullying, but it is always preferable for the parties to deal with the issues proactively themselves.

If you require advice on best practice policies and procedures for your organisation, or on bullying and harassment in the workplace please feel free contact People + Culture Strategies on (02) 8094 3100.