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When employers are on notice of a behaviour issue affecting only a small percentage of employees, it's important not to dismiss it as a "benchmark" level, a workplace advisor says.

Humanify HR Consulting managing director Sarah Queenan says she's seeing "a lot" of organisations receive, in their engagement survey data, positive responses to questions asking employees if they've observed or experienced bullying, harassment, discrimination, or other types of inappropriate behaviour.

"Generally, there's always a percentage – 5% or less – where people are saying, 'Yep, I've seen that' or 'Yes, I've experienced that'," Queenan tells HR Daily.

"And leaders are almost saying, 'Well, that's just kind of the benchmark now' in terms of passive aggressive people who will say that they've experienced bullying."

She warns that a small number is no reason for complacency...