Making a welcoming workplace
Why it's important to create welcoming spaces where everyone feels comfortable
Today was Pink Shirt Day in New Zealand. It’s a day to celebrate diversity and promote kindness and inclusiveness, and to stand up to bullying. Many people mark the day by wearing pink and making a donation to a mental health charity.
Though the movement began in schools and focuses on youth bullying, it also addresses the workplace.
Everyone remembers workplaces where they felt welcome and those where they did not. Usually, the difference comes down to small interactions.
Being properly introduced on the first day. Being invited to lunch. A manager explaining something without making someone feel embarrassed for asking. A colleague remembering a name. Someone actually listening when another person speaks.
On the other hand, people also remember workplaces where they felt ignored, excluded, or constantly uncomfortable.
Adults don’t outgrow insecurity once they leave school. Many people still worry about asking the wrong question, speaking up in meetings, or not fitting in with a team.
You can see it in meetings where nobody wants to speak first. Or in workplaces where new employees quietly try to work things out themselves rather than asking for clarification.
That’s why welcoming workplaces matter. People contribute more when they feel comfortable. They’re more likely to ask questions, share ideas, and raise issues early instead of staying quiet to avoid embarrassment.
Creating that kind of environment can be as simple as:
introducing someone into a conversation instead of leaving them standing on the edge of it
explaining something clearly and respectfully
checking in after a difficult meeting or presentation
giving credit publicly
inviting input from quieter team members
avoiding inside jokes that exclude newer staff
correcting issues privately instead of criticising someone publicly
Workplaces that actively create respectful, inclusive environments are also often better at preventing bullying before it starts.
Bullying tends to thrive in cultures where poor behaviour is ignored, communication is poor, or people don’t feel safe speaking up. In workplaces where respect is expected and modelled consistently, it becomes harder for those behaviours to continue unchecked.
There are practical ways organisations can reduce the likelihood of bullying occurring:
setting clear expectations around behaviour from the beginning
responding to issues early instead of allowing them to escalate
training managers to handle conflict constructively
making reporting processes clear and accessible
encouraging open communication and feedback
paying attention to team dynamics, not just productivity
addressing repeated “jokes” or behaviours that make people uncomfortable
It also helps to recognise that bullying isn’t always obvious. It can include repeated exclusion, belittling comments, constant criticism, withholding information, or behaviour that leaves someone feeling isolated or undermined.
For individuals concerned about bullying in their workplace, it can be difficult to know what to do next, particularly when behaviour has developed gradually over time.
You may not feel comfortable being directly involved, but if you do, you can be an upstander, not a bystander, by:
Supporting the person being bullied, even if that’s just being close to them while it’s happening.
Interrupting the bullying, for example, by asking the person being bullied if they’d like to go for a walk.
Letting the bully know that their behaviour is not ok.
If you don’t feel safe during the situation, you can support people afterwards by:
Talking to them afterwards and letting them know you want to help.
Making a note of things that have happened to provide support.
Support the person if they want to approach their manager about the situation.
It can also help to:
Talk to a trusted manager, HR representative, mentor, or colleague.
Review workplace bullying or conduct policies so you know where you stand.
Access external support services if workplace processes don’t feel effective or safe.
You don’t always need to wait until behaviour becomes extreme before raising concerns. Smaller behaviours can still have a significant impact when they happen repeatedly over time.
Leaders set the tone, but workplace culture isn’t created by managers alone. Every interaction contributes to how a workplace feels to the people in it.
If you’d like more resources to help recognise and prevent bullying, you can find them here.