Workplace Bullying - Essential Steps for Documentation and Reporting

Most people don't know what a formal bullying complaint actually involves until they're in the middle of one. Knowing the stages in advance makes the whole process less frightening and gives you a better shot at a fair outcome.

Stage 1: Build your evidence base before you formalise anything

Before a complaint becomes "formal," it's worth having a solid private record already in place. This means a dated log of incidents — what happened, when, who was there, what was said — plus saved copies of any relevant emails, messages or documents. You don't need to report the moment something happens; you're allowed to observe the pattern for a while first, provided you're recording it as it occurs rather than trying to reconstruct it later. This stage is also when it's worth checking your employer's bullying and harassment policy, since it usually explains exactly what a formal complaint should include and how it will be handled.

Stage 2: Decide informal or formal, and act accordingly

Related: Workplace Bullying - Tips and Strategies to Stay Safe.

Many workplace policies expect an informal resolution attempt first — a direct conversation with the person, or a quiet word through your manager — unless the behaviour is serious enough (threats, aggression, discrimination) to go straight to a formal complaint. If you try the informal route, document that too: what you raised, when, and what response you got. If nothing changes, or the behaviour is too serious for an informal chat, move to a formal written complaint.

Stage 3: Submit a complaint that gives HR something to work with

A formal complaint should include:

• A short summary of the issue
• A dated, chronological list of specific incidents with witnesses named where possible
• Copies of supporting evidence — emails, screenshots, rosters
• The impact on you and your work
• What outcome you're seeking — mediation, an apology, a change in reporting lines, a formal investigation

This is where a running log kept in an app like Bully Log pays off — instead of trying to reconstruct months of incidents from memory under pressure, you're pulling from a record that was written down as things happened, with timestamps that back up its accuracy.

Stage 4: Understand what an investigation actually involves

See also: Bullying Documentation Tips Requirements: Your Guide to Workplace Safety.

Once a formal complaint is lodged, most employers run an internal investigation — usually HR or an external investigator interviewing you, the person you've complained about, and any witnesses, then producing a report with findings. You're generally entitled to know the outcome, though the level of detail shared varies. Investigations take time — weeks is common, sometimes longer for complex cases — and during this period it's worth continuing to document anything relevant that happens, including how you're being treated while the investigation is underway.

Stage 5: Know your escalation path if the internal process fails

If the investigation finds nothing, takes too long, or the bullying continues regardless, you have external steps available. The Fair Work Commission can make a stop-bullying order where behaviour is ongoing and there's a risk to health and safety — it addresses future conduct rather than awarding compensation. The Fair Work Ombudsman can advise on your rights more broadly. A union, if you belong to one, can represent you at every stage, internal and external, generally at no extra cost. Where discrimination is involved, the Australian Human Rights Commission is a further option, and Comcare handles matters for many federal employees.

Stage 6: Protect your wellbeing at every stage

Formal processes are slow by nature and take a toll while you wait. Lean on your Employee Assistance Program for confidential support, see your GP if stress is building, and keep someone outside work in the loop so you're not carrying this alone. This is general information, not legal advice — for anything formal or high-stakes, a conversation with your union or an employment lawyer will tell you where you specifically stand. Whatever stage you're at, the constant that helps throughout is a clear, contemporaneous log — it's the thread that ties every stage of the process together.