A professional workplace should be based on respect, dignity, equality, and appropriate professional conduct. Employees may encounter disagreements, criticism, performance-related discussions, or difficult situations during their employment. However, conduct that becomes abusive, threatening, humiliating, intimidating, or otherwise inappropriate may raise serious workplace and legal concerns.
Workplace harassment in the UAE can affect an employee's professional reputation, ability to work effectively, and overall well-being. Employees should understand what may constitute inappropriate workplace conduct, how to document incidents, and what steps may be available when internal resolution is unsuccessful.
What Is Workplace Harassment?
Workplace harassment generally refers to unwanted conduct, behaviour, communication, or actions that may intimidate, offend, humiliate, threaten, or create an inappropriate or hostile working environment for another person.
Depending on the circumstances, workplace harassment may take different forms, including:
- Verbal insults, humiliation, or offensive comments
- Threatening or intimidating behaviour
- Repeated unwanted comments, jokes, or remarks
- Sexual harassment or inappropriate advances
- Unwelcome physical contact
- Discriminatory or degrading remarks
- Offensive emails, WhatsApp messages, or other workplace communications
- Repeated conduct intended to isolate, pressure, intimidate, or undermine an employee
- Other inappropriate conduct connected with the workplace or employment relationship
The seriousness of the conduct will depend on the nature and circumstances of each case. A single incident may also be serious depending on what occurred and the circumstances surrounding it.
Workplace Disagreements Are Not Automatically Harassment
It is important to distinguish genuine workplace harassment from ordinary workplace disagreements or legitimate management decisions.
Employers may have the right to:
- Provide performance feedback;
- Issue reasonable workplace instructions;
- Conduct disciplinary procedures;
- Address employee performance concerns;
- Allocate duties and responsibilities; and
- Take legitimate management decisions.
Similarly, employees may disagree with managers or colleagues.
However, workplace instructions, criticism, or disciplinary action should be communicated professionally and appropriately. Abusive, threatening, humiliating, or otherwise unlawful conduct should not simply be treated as ordinary workplace disagreement.
Therefore, whether particular behaviour constitutes harassment should be assessed based on the specific facts, circumstances, communications, frequency, and seriousness of the conduct.
Common Forms of Workplace Harassment
Workplace harassment can occur in different forms and may involve managers, colleagues, customers, or other persons connected with the workplace.
Verbal Harassment
Verbal harassment may include repeated insults, personal attacks, offensive remarks, humiliating comments, or other inappropriate language directed towards an employee.
Repeated verbal abuse can negatively affect an employee's ability to work and may become particularly serious where it is accompanied by threats or intimidation.
Threatening or Intimidating Behaviour
Threats, aggressive conduct, intimidation, or behaviour intended to make an employee feel afraid or pressured may raise serious concerns.
Employees should carefully preserve evidence of any threatening communications, particularly where threats are made through written or electronic communications.
Sexual Harassment
Unwanted sexual comments, inappropriate advances, gestures, communications, or physical contact may constitute serious misconduct and may have legal consequences depending on the circumstances.
Employees who experience such conduct should consider preserving relevant evidence and obtaining appropriate legal advice regarding the available options.
Digital or Online Harassment
Workplace harassment is not limited to conduct occurring physically inside an office.
WhatsApp messages, emails, workplace communication platforms, and other digital communications may also become relevant where the conduct is connected with employment.
Employees should preserve the original communications and avoid altering or deleting potentially relevant evidence.
Repeated Humiliation or Isolation
Repeated behaviour intended to embarrass, isolate, pressure, undermine, or intimidate an employee may also raise concerns.
Examples may include repeatedly humiliating an employee in front of colleagues, deliberately excluding an employee from necessary workplace communications, or repeatedly using offensive or degrading language.
The legal significance of such conduct will depend on the specific circumstances.
What Should an Employee Do If Workplace Harassment Occurs?
Employees who experience inappropriate workplace conduct should consider taking reasonable steps to protect themselves and preserve evidence.
1. Keep a Detailed Record
Record the:
- Date and time of the incident;
- Location;
- Persons involved;
- Nature of the conduct;
- Words or actions involved;
- Names of any witnesses; and
- Any relevant consequences or follow-up communications.
Maintaining a contemporaneous record can help establish a clear chronology if the matter later becomes a formal workplace dispute.
2. Preserve Relevant Evidence
Keep relevant:
- Emails;
- WhatsApp messages;
- Text messages;
- Letters and notices;
- Workplace communications;
- Employment documents;
- Internal complaints; and
- Other relevant records.
Where the conduct occurs through electronic communication, employees should preserve the original messages and relevant surrounding information.
3. Review the Company's Policies
Employees should review their employment contract, employee handbook, workplace policies, or internal complaint procedures.
Some employers may have specific procedures for reporting workplace misconduct, harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate behaviour.
4. Report the Matter Through an Appropriate Channel
Depending on the circumstances, an employee may raise the matter with:
- Human Resources;
- Management;
- A designated compliance or grievance officer; or
- Another authorised internal reporting channel.
Where an internal complaint is made, the employee should keep a copy of the complaint and any response received, where appropriate.
5. Seek Legal Advice
Where the conduct is serious, continues despite an internal complaint, or may involve a violation of UAE law, obtaining legal advice may help the employee understand the available options.
The appropriate legal or administrative procedure will depend on the nature of the conduct and the individual circumstances of the case.
What Employers Should Consider
Employers also have an important role in maintaining a professional and respectful workplace.
Employers should consider implementing clear workplace policies addressing:
- Workplace harassment;
- Bullying and inappropriate conduct;
- Sexual harassment;
- Threatening or abusive behaviour;
- Internal complaint procedures;
- Confidentiality;
- Investigation procedures;
- Employee responsibilities; and
- Appropriate disciplinary measures.
When a complaint is received, the employer should assess the circumstances fairly and take appropriate steps based on the findings.
Employers should also be careful to maintain appropriate confidentiality and avoid unnecessary disclosure of sensitive information.
Protection Against Retaliation
Employees may sometimes be concerned that reporting workplace misconduct could affect their employment.
Any concern regarding retaliation, intimidation, threats, disciplinary action, or other adverse treatment following a complaint should be documented carefully.
Where an employee believes that further unlawful conduct has occurred after making a complaint, the employee may wish to obtain legal advice regarding the appropriate response.
Keep Evidence But Use It Responsibly
Documentation can be important in workplace disputes. However, employees should exercise caution when collecting, storing, or sharing information.
Employees should not unnecessarily publish:
- Private conversations;
- Confidential company documents;
- Personal information;
- Customer information;
- Internal business records; or
- Other confidential material
on social media simply to expose a workplace dispute.
Evidence should be preserved responsibly and provided through the appropriate legal, administrative, or official channels when required.
When Should You Seek Legal Advice?
An employee may consider obtaining legal advice where:
- The harassment is serious or repeated;
- Threats or intimidation are involved;
- Internal complaints have not resolved the matter;
- The conduct may constitute a violation of UAE law;
- The employee faces disciplinary action after raising a complaint;
- The employee is concerned about retaliation;
- The employee's employment has been terminated following the dispute; or
- The employee is unsure which legal or administrative procedure should be followed.
A legal professional can review the circumstances and available evidence and advise on the appropriate course of action.
Why Proper Documentation Matters
Workplace disputes are often determined based on the available evidence and the circumstances of the case.
An employee should therefore avoid relying solely on verbal allegations where documentary evidence can reasonably be preserved.
A clear chronology, relevant messages, emails, employment documents, internal complaints, and other supporting evidence may assist in establishing what occurred.
However, employees should also avoid exaggerating allegations or making unsupported accusations. Information provided to an employer, authority, or legal representative should be accurate and based on the available facts.
Conclusion
A respectful workplace is everyone's responsibility. Employers should maintain appropriate professional standards and provide reasonable mechanisms for addressing workplace complaints. Employees should understand their rights and obligations, maintain professional boundaries, and raise serious concerns through appropriate channels.
Not every workplace disagreement constitutes harassment. However, conduct involving serious verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, sexual misconduct, degrading behaviour, or other potentially unlawful conduct should not be ignored.
If you believe workplace conduct has crossed the line from an ordinary workplace disagreement into harassment or other unlawful behaviour, consider documenting the situation, preserving relevant evidence, using the appropriate reporting channels, and obtaining professional legal advice before taking further action.
Need Legal Assistance?
If you are experiencing workplace harassment or are involved in a workplace misconduct dispute in the UAE, obtaining professional legal advice can help you understand your rights, assess the available evidence, and determine the appropriate legal or administrative steps based on your circumstances.
