Setting Clear Guidelines

Most bullying doesn't thrive because everyone agrees it's acceptable — it thrives because nobody has clearly said what's not. Clear guidelines, set early and applied consistently, are one of the most underrated tools for stopping bullying before it becomes a pattern that needs formal escalation.

Why vague expectations are a breeding ground for bullying

Workplaces without clear standards of behaviour give bullies room to move — "that's just how they are," "it's a robust culture here," "you need thicker skin." Without a stated line between firm feedback and mistreatment, a target has nothing concrete to point to, and a bystander has an easy excuse to look away. Clear, written guidelines close that gap: they turn "that felt off" into "that breached the code of conduct."

Setting guidelines for yourself: boundaries and responses

Related: Workplace Bullying - Best Practices for Documentation and Reporting.

You don't need to wait for your employer to write a policy to set your own standard. Decide in advance what you will and won't accept — being spoken to in a certain tone, having your work claimed by someone else, being excluded from meetings relevant to your role — and decide, calmly, what you'll say or do the first time it happens. Having a plan ready ("I'll ask for feedback in writing," "I'll note the date and follow up by email") means you respond consistently rather than being caught off guard each time, which also means the record you keep of events is more consistent too.

What best-practice workplace guidelines look like

A genuinely useful anti-bullying policy is specific, not aspirational. It defines bullying using language consistent with the Fair Work Act — repeated unreasonable behaviour creating a risk to health and safety — gives concrete examples relevant to the workplace, sets out exactly how to raise a concern and with whom, states a realistic timeframe for a response, and clearly distinguishes bullying from reasonable management action. A manager setting deadlines, giving honest performance feedback, or making rostering decisions isn't bullying on its own, even when it's unwelcome. If your workplace's policy is vague ("we don't tolerate bullying") with no process attached, that's worth noting too — it's a sign the guidelines exist on paper only.

Guidelines for managers and HR handling a complaint

See also: Bullying Documentation Tips Guide: Essential Steps for Workplace Safety.

From the other side, clear guidelines protect everyone: they should require every complaint to be taken seriously and looked into rather than dismissed informally, keep the process confidential wherever possible, separate the parties while an investigation is underway if needed, and document the outcome and any actions taken. A manager or HR team that follows a clear, consistent process — rather than handling each complaint ad hoc — produces fairer outcomes and a much stronger paper trail if a matter ever needs to go further, including to the Fair Work Commission.

Turning guidelines into a written record

Whichever side of this you're on, guidelines only work if there's a record of whether they were actually followed. If you're the one raising a concern, note whether your employer's stated timeframes and process were met — a policy that promises a response "within five business days" and takes six weeks is itself worth documenting. Keeping your own log, alongside a copy of the relevant workplace policy, gives you two things side by side: what happened, and whether the process meant to address it actually worked. Bully Log is built for exactly the first part — a running, dated record of incidents you can hold up against whatever guidelines your workplace claims to follow. This article is general information, not legal advice; for questions about your workplace's specific policy, your union or the Fair Work Ombudsman can help.