Workplace Bullying and Harassment Policy
as of November, 2024
This is a formal Policy Statement that will be in effect at Stoneground Paint Company immediately. The leadership team is writing this in effort of supporting their adapting strategies to further engage in leadership-worker trust and transparency. In following through with this goal, our efforts revolve around seriously addressing and appropriately responding to any and all bullying and harassment claims made. We take bullying and harassment very seriously.
At Stoneground, we believe that it is a right to belong to a workplace free from threats of harm or feelings of anxiety. If anyone is ever in a place of socially or for interpersonal mental health reasons dreading or not looking forward to coming in to work, we would view that as an overall failure of leadership. No one should ever dread to come to work, nor should anyone feel that, due to a power imbalance or through intimidation, they are unwelcome or less welcome than anyone else that works here.
Workplace conduct
Zero Tolerance Policy
To include the WorkSafeBC definition, “bullying and harassment:
(a) includes any inappropriate conduct or comment by a person towards a worker that the person knew or reasonably ought to have known would cause that worker to be humiliated or intimidated, but
(b) excludes any reasonable action taken by an employer or supervisor relating to the management and direction of workers or the place of employment. This includes verbal aggression or insults, retaliation, calling another derogatory names, hazing or initiation practices, vandalizing personal belongings or workplace materials, and spreading rumours.” (WorkSafeBC, 2024)
Any bullying or harassment reported to our leadership team HR Designee will be scrutinized against the criteria above. There are behaviours that are unacceptable and inappropriate that are not included in the bullying and harassment definitions specifically. Any such behaviours will be treated similarly, though those sorts of actions will not necessarily result in termination. Enforcement of the Workplace Bullying and Harassment Policy Statement requires a reasonable assumption of humiliation or intimidation which is not present in every single workplace misconduct situation.
Anyone employed by Stoneground Paint Company is expected to follow the below policies regarding bullying and harassment. These policies apply to all workers, including permanent, temporary, casual, and contract workers; including new hires and founding members, including management, leadership, and other internal shareholders.
- Refrain from engaging in the bullying and harassment of your co-workers.
- Report to our HR Designee (Laura Williams) if bullying and harassment is observed or experienced through an anonymous form (below).
- Apply and comply with our policies and procedures on bullying and harassment as outlined in this document.
All of these policies apply to any and all interpersonal and electronic communications, such as email, text, and any other messaging methods. Additionally, while we of course cannot and would not prevent conversations outside of work time, should any conversations that occur off the clock begin to affect our workplace health, there will need to be a conversation had with everyone involved in the communication, facilitated by our HR Designee.
In addition, to support our initiatives in bullying and harassment prevention and support, Stoneground Paint Company is happy to introduce new coverage of mental health support. This includes access to and coverage of counsellors, psychiatrists, and psychologists, and further pharmacare coverage to more holistically support you, our workers.
HR Designee
Annual Workplace Bullying and Harassment Policy Review
Every year, a volunteered panel of individuals including representatives from our leadership team and workers will review this policy document. In the future, we hope to expand this document and our approach to comprehensive and supportive Human Resources management to allow us to better maintain our social and interpersonal environment here at Stoneground Paint Company.
At the annual review, the panel will also review the HR Designee selection and make a new selection as required. This selection will have to maintain the core competencies and skills required that are outlined in the HR Designee description above, and considerations about preferences for interpersonal reasons or favouritism will not be entertained.
We are always accepting input about how to better support you all in terms of bullying and harassment, mental health support, and personal conflict support in context to coworkers or the workplace. Maintaining a boundary between your personal life and work-life relationship is important.
Through an anonymous form (below), you can submit any input or complaints regarding our policies which will be reviewed at least weekly by our HR Designee, Laura Williams. This form is completely anonymous and will not be shown to others unless there are concerns about personal safety.
It is everyone’s right be treated fairly and with respect. By working here, we are all committing to maintaining this behaviour. Bullying and harassment are not acceptable and will not be tolerated at Stoneground Paint Company. By entering into business with Stoneground, any collaborators (used here to mean any external worker who is not employed primarily by Stoneground) are also agreeing to abide by our workplace conduct policies.
We maintain a strong zero tolerance policy. Failure to comply with the workplace conduct outlined in this document will result in termination, without exception. This statement expands to everyone that Stoneground Paint Company professionally interacts with as our values lead us to create an environment which emphasizes respect, creativity, and support for all workers, partners, and collaborators, which is further supported by our broader commitment to equity and fairness in all of our business dealing.
bullying and harassment
Your Part
our Part
To further define the role of HR Designee, currently Laura Williams (2024-2025).
This role has been defined as the representative selected by the leadership and management team to be the workers’ first point of contact regarding any and all “HR complaints”, these included bullying and harassment, misconduct, and any perceived violations of any codes or regulations. The HR Designee can be contacted during regular work hours about any such complaint or dispute.
This role requires HR knowledge and formal training, including facilitation experience and de-escalation or diffusion training. Job duties will include hiring, on-boarding, off-boarding, and firing in addition to the execution and enforcement of policies outlined in this document. The HR Designee is required to keep all complainants confidential unless there is implication of physical harm to self or others. All complaints will also be kept confidential though the information within in them may need to be disseminated to investigators to follow through on the misconduct investigation, including managers or legal authorities.
This confidentiality will also diminish likelihood of retaliation, and preventing retaliation is also included in the HR Designee role. If anyone faces retaliation for reporting bullying or harassment, or any other form of misconduct, they should immediately contact our HR Designee and focus on personal safety.
If one wishes to submit a complaint regarding the HR Designee, it should be sent instead to the COO.
(next policy review: November 2025)