Did you Witness a Situation of Harassment at Work?

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We are committed to helping you

Support is here. Consult the Harassment Centre of Expertise (HCE) for advice and guidance.
Creating a respectful workplace is everyone’s business. Speak up if you witness inappropriate behaviour.
Bystanders play a powerful role in stopping harassment.

Do you feel comfortable intervening directly? Yes or No

If yes, address the situation. Here are some tips to have a positive impact when intervening:

When you hear inappropriate comments, you can say:
- ‘‘I feel uncomfortable when you make negative remarks about someone’s clothes (or ethnic jokes, comments on someone’s body, etc.). I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop.’’
If someone makes disparaging remarks or uses negative body language (such as eye rolling or smirking) towards a colleague during a meeting or presentation, you could say:
- To the person being targeted: ‘‘Thanks for sharing this with us. It’s important that we hear different perspectives and I appreciate your insight.’’
- Or, to the offender, ‘‘You seem to be in disagreement with the comments, can you explain?’’.
If you see that a discussion is becoming heated, you could interrupt the parties and say:
- ‘‘Maybe it’s best that we take a break from this topic right now and reconvene when everyone is in a more positive frame of mind.’’

If no, do you feel comfortable talking to you manager? Yes or No

If yes, talk to your manager. Is the situation resolved? Yes or No

If no, get support from a Harassment Centre of Expertise Advisor

Did you know: Your manager is obligated to address the situation promptly?

The Harassment Centre of Expertise will work with the management team to restore a healthy workplace.

Over 80% of the time, bullying happens with peers around. 57% of the time, bullying stops within 10 seconds when a bystander steps in.
At any point, you are encouraged to check in with the individual who is targeted to offer your support and remind them that help is available.
The ESDC Code of Conduct clearly states that harassment and discrimination in the workplace are not tolerated. Regardless of level or position, we must all work together to ensure that our workplace is free of harassment and discrimination.