What term describes conduct which may cause offence or humiliation to a worker?

Harassment is the term that specifically refers to conduct that may cause offense or humiliation to a worker. This can include a range of behaviors, such as unwanted comments, jokes, or actions that create an intimidating or hostile work environment. The key aspect of harassment is the impact it has on the victim, which can lead to emotional distress and can affect their ability to work effectively.

Discrimination, while also related to unfair treatment, specifically pertains to biased actions based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, or disability rather than the broader offensive conduct encapsulated by harassment. Negligence refers to a failure to exercise appropriate care in a given context and is not directly associated with interpersonal conduct that offends or humiliates. Disciplinary action involves the response or measures taken by an organization in response to misconduct but does not describe the nature of the conduct itself. This differentiation highlights why the term harassment accurately captures the phenomenon of offensive or humiliating conduct in the workplace.