Jamie Ross
Four Aberdeenshire Council staff have been accused of bullying their co-workers over the past year.
Details released under freedom of information legislation show all the cases, between July 2015 and last month, went through the local authority’s own complaints procedure.
Just one complaint was not upheld.
One member of staff was moved on to a disciplinary hearing and another is at “stage one” of the process.
An “informal solution” was found for the employee in the fourth report.
Line managers are expected to follow the council’s three-stage grievance policy whenever there is a complaint of bullying or harassment.
Last night, Linda James, founder of Bullies Out, said bullying in the workplace costs the UK almost £14billion per year.
“It is important that all staff understand that grievances or reports of harassment will not be ignored and will be taken seriously,” she said.
“Both employers and employees play a part in creating a working environment that is free from bullying and harassment.”
Aberdeenshire Council’s head of HR and organisational development, Laura Simpson, said the council took the issue of bullying “very seriously”.
She said: “We encourage managers to ensure there are regular opportunities for employees to discuss any issues they may have, which may account for the low figure for formal complaints.
“We also work closely with trade unions to resolve any difficulties that arise in the workplace.”