Workplace bullying and harassment remain serious concerns across Canadian workplaces. Recent studies show:
1 in 10 Canadian workers report being bullied within the past year.
Nearly 30% of women and 20% of men have experienced workplace harassment or sexual assault in the last 12 months.
Rates are even higher among marginalized groups.
Bullying vs. Harassment: What’s the Difference?
While the terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same:
Bullying: Repeated, unreasonable behaviour that intimidates, humiliates, or undermines an employee, creating a toxic work environment. Bullying isn’t always tied to a protected ground under human rights law—it may stem from personal conflict, power imbalance, or organizational culture.
Harassment: A form of discrimination defined under human rights and occupational health & safety laws. It involves unwelcome conduct based on protected grounds such as race, sex, religion, disability, age, or sexual orientation.
The challenge: reporting remains low.
Despite the prevalence, many employees never report bullying or harassment. Why?
Fear of retaliation or being labeled a “troublemaker”
Lack of trust in management or HR to act
Belief that nothing will change, even if they speak up
This silence doesn’t mean the problem isn’t there—it means it may be going unchecked.
Employer Responsibilities
Under Canadian workplace laws, employers have a clear duty to:
Provide training on bullying and harassment prevention
Create, communicate, and enforce strong workplace policies
Investigate complaints promptly, fairly, and consistently
Ignoring these responsibilities puts employees at risk and exposes your organization to serious legal and reputational consequences.
👉 At ThryvX, we help organizations:
Develop and strengthen workplace bullying & harassment policies
Establish trusted reporting processes employees feel safe using
Conduct impartial workplace investigations when issues arise
A safe, respectful workplace isn’t just about compliance—it’s about protecting your people and strengthening your culture.
📩 Contact us today to start building a stronger, safer workplace.
