Bullying and Abuse at Work
With everything that has come to light about Tom Brown, Tom Kitchin, The Kitchin Group, and others you may be having more conversations with people about their experiences of bullying or abuse in the workplace. We wanted to give you some tips on how to support someone who may have been subject to this.
How to respond to someone if they've disclosed to you that they've been bullied or abused at work:
Listen non-judgmentally
Give them the space and time to talk
Reassure them that this issue will be taken seriously
Explain that you need to report it to senior management, or if necessary, to a higher authority
Be proactive and investigate immediately
Provide the person with resources (see below)
Ask them what they need to feel supported e.g. time off work, help accessing resources
Let them know how brave they are to speak out and that by doing so they will be helping others in similar situations
We need to all encourage speaking out about bullying and abuse and investigate every report to ensure that these problems are addressed. We need to be making kitchens, pubs, bars, all workplaces, safe and inviting places to work, not places run on instilling fear and physical and mental pain on their employees.
Useful resources:
Acas is an independent public body that receives funding from the government. Acas offers employees and employers free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice. They also offer training and help to resolve disputes.
Helpline: 0300 123 1100
Citizens Advice provides free, independent advice and information for employers and employees, and they have a dedicated chat service.
Adviceline (England): 0800 144 8848
Advicelink (Wales): 0800 702 2020
Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 144 8884
The National Chefs Union is focused on improving the industry to support chefs. It is run completely by chefs with the aim of supporting and understanding the issues that many chefs experience working in kitchens.
You can also email us at hello@kellyscause.com to chat through any problems or to be directed to further information.
Samaritans are always there if you need someone to talk to, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Helpline: 116 123
