City Research Online

Abstract

Purpose
This study critically evaluates the UK’s legal and policy framework concerning workplace bullying. This study aims to provide a focussed evaluation of legislative context, employer responsibilities and procedural expectations, while identifying current gaps and future reforms.

Design/methodology/approach
This research uses a critical analysis of the UK’s existing legal landscape, including key legislation and policy. This systematic literature review approach integrates academic commentary with an evaluation of current practice, offering a socio-legal perspective on managing workplace bullying.

Findings
The UK lacks dedicated anti-bullying legislation, resulting in a fragmented legal framework that offers partial protection, primarily through harassment provisions linked to protected characteristics. This places a substantial interpretive and operational burden on organisational knowledge and compliance. Emerging trends, such as the Worker Protection Act 2023, suggest a legislative shift towards proactive prevention, moving the UK closer to international standards, though significant gaps for general bullying persist.

Originality/value
This paper offers a timely and critical overview of the complex interplay between UK law and workplace bullying, emphasising its practical impact on human resource management. By treating the legal framework as a dynamic entity, this study aims to inform current compliance and ethical practice whilst anticipating future reforms.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited. This AAM is provided for your own personal use only. It may not be used for resale, reprinting, systematic distribution, emailing, or for any other commercial purpose without the permission of the publisher.
Publisher Keywords:	Workplace bullying, Law reform, Employment law and policy, Workplace harassment
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Departments:	School of Policy & Global Affairs School of Policy & Global Affairs > Department of Sociology & Criminology
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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