Active Bystander

Have you witnessed or been made aware of harassment and bullying taking place at work or between colleagues?

 

Research indicates that almost six in 10 people have witnessed or suffered bullying in the workplace, yet far fewer choose to report the incident, particularly witnesses.

 

This is due in part to something called the Bystander Effect, which according to Very Well Mind is “a phenomenon in which the greater the number of people present, the less likely people are to help a person in distress.”

 

The ‘diffusion of responsibility’ is to blame, with people assuming others will take action or report what they have seen. In a workplace setting, this can make it impossible for an employer or organisation to learn what is happening, support the victims of the behaviour or take action to address the problem.

 

 

That’s why it’s so important for witnesses of harassment and bullying to take on the role of an active bystander and report what they have seen or heard.

 

If you’ve witnessed an incident of unacceptable behaviour, you can help bring about positive change by using the Your Voice platform. Your Voice can help us to identify problems and prevent your colleagues from experiencing behaviour that threatens their mental health and wellbeing. 

 

 

Even though we’re committed to taking every report we receive seriously, there can be many reasons why people experiencing bullying and harassment choose not to report incidents. They may be traumatised by the incident or have concerns about what might happen to them if it’s their word against the perpetrator's.

 

Even if a person experiencing harmful behaviours does make a report, a corroborating account of events will help us to build up a clearer picture of what has happened and take the right action.

 

Without reports, however, we may never be aware of what has happened. That could mean harmful patterns of behaviour continue, leading to more suffering for the victim as well as the potential for similar incidents to happen to more people in the future.

 

The good news is that reporting unacceptable behaviour with the LLR Your Voice, Report and Support tool  is a simple and confidential process, with the option for anonymity. Your voice can make a difference to the people you work with and the future of the organisation. Don’t stay silent.

If you would like to learn more about becoming an Active Bystander you can find out more about the support we can offer you to gain the skills and confidence to intervene here:

https://leicesterleicestershireandrutlandhwp.uk/staff-room/llr-academy/active-bystander-programme/