Online abuse in the workplace

Online abuse can cause psychological and physical harm. Work health and safety laws require employers to take care of the health and safety of workers and others. This includes managing the risks of online abuse while working. 

What is online abuse 

Online abuse is behaviour that uses technology to threaten, intimidate, bully, harass or humiliate someone. It is sometimes referred to as cyber abuse or technology-facilitated abuse.  

Online abuse can take place on online platforms such as social media, online chat, and messaging services, by telephone (calls and text messages), email or other technology used at work.  

Online abuse at work might come from customers, clients or members of the public, but it can also happen between workers, supervisors and managers. It may also happen away from the workplace such as when a worker is working from home.