Post on 13-May-2015
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Bullying & Harassment in the Workplace
Presented by Esther Hudson
Presented toMay 19 2006
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About Esther
Corporate trainerHR consultantWorkplace solutions
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BEHAVING BADLY……...
Harassment In the Workplace
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About Today’s SessionWhat is HarassmentWhat is Workplace BullyingLook at some statisticsImplications on the workplaceResponsibilities of employers/supervisorsLegal ObligationsMinimising the RiskAssessment Task
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AgendaOverview Typical Situation10 am coffeeCase Study12 noon - lunchWhat you can do2:30 coffeeCase Study
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Learning Outcomes
What we hope to achieve today: Identify examples of sexual harassment &
workplace bullying Understand the effect that this type of
harassment has on your workplace Understand the company’s expectations
regarding appropriate workplace behaviour Identify resolution pathways to deal with
harassment problems effectively
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What is Workplace Bullying
Bullying is the repeated, less favourable treatment of an individual by one or
more people in the workplace
Workplace bullying can be simply described as “Bad Behaviour” which is
unreasonable & inappropriate
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Examples of Bullying Yelling or abuse Constant criticism of work Impossible deadlines Constantly changing targets Deliberately withholding work-related information or
resources Making someone the brunt of teasing, pranks or practical
jokes Tampering with personal effects or equipment Giving tasks which are meaningless or beyond the skill of
the person
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Effects of Harassment Reduced efficiency, productivity & profitability Adverse Publicity/Erosion of Company image Increased absenteeism Staff turnover Costs associated with counselling, recruitment,
compensation claims Legal costs associated with defending civil or criminal
charges Loss of sleep, loss of appetite & low morale Feelings of anger, humiliation, frustration, depression,
stress, powerlessness
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Types of Bullies
The Gatekeeper The Constant Critic
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Types of Bullies
Two Headed Snake The Screaming Mimi
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The Statistics - BullyingMen & Women bullied/bully in equal numbersWomen bullies target women 84% of the timeMen bullies target women 69% of the timeVast majority of bullies are bosses (81%)
Source: Campaign against workplace bullying 2000 (USA)
New research from Griffith University estimates the cost to Australian employers is between $6
billion & $36 billion a year Source: HR Monthly February 2002
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Other Facts………………..Women are more likely to report bullyingAbout 1 victim in 100 either attempts or
succeeds to commit suicideMost people who are bullied report damage
to their healthOverwhelming majority of bullies are repeat
offendersBullying is responsible for 1 resignation in 4
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Duty of Care
employers have a responsibility to ensure the health & welfare of their workers under the Workplace Health & Safety Rules
In the area of employment, employers can be held liable for the wrongs committed by their employees in the course of work
This is referred to as Vicarious Liability
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Vicarious Liability
Means that if an employee harasses a co-worker, client, customer etc, the employer can be held legally responsible and may be liable for damages
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Zero ToleranceAre you aware of your workplace
policies on Harassment & Workplace Bullying?
Policies should have strong opening statements regarding the company’s attitude to harassment in the workplace
Awareness among staff as a key strategy in addressing harassment
Zero tolerance approach!
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If you are being harassed…
Tell the person to stop!
Report it to your: Supervisor/Manager HR ManagerField Officer/Trainer
Keep a record of the harassment
When, Where, Who Saw It
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On the attack?
Some staff may experience bullying violence or aggression
What sort of bullying, violence or aggression?
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Common Forms of BullyingAggressive shouting, banging,
throwingHuffing, stomping, taking overExaggerating faults, blaming, getting
people into troublePublic humiliation, set up to failInconsistent discipline,
arbitrary treatmentGossip & rumour
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Profile of the victim
Not all weak and incompetentBetter than average performersConscientious and diligentPopular, source of help and adviceTolerant, do not fight back or retaliateStrong morals, integrityIsolated, not part of a clique
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What is bullying?
Repeated, unreasonable or inappropriate behaviour at the place of work or in the course of employment that is intimidating, insulting, offensive, demeaning, or humiliating others.
© Human Factor Australia
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Workplace Bullying Behaviours
© Human Factor Australia
Three categories– Verbal abuse– Non-verbal abuse– Physical abuse
Research: •Verbal abuse was the most common form of workplace bullying•Second most common, “making you feel inferior”•Third most common, “belittling behaviour”
Victorian WorkCover, 2003
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Workplace Bullying Behaviours
© Human Factor Australia
Verbal abuse– Put downs, humiliating jokes and comments,
constant teasing
– Yelling, name calling, swearing, snide remarks, sarcasm
– Unfair criticism
– Negative comments about someone’s sexual orientation
– Unwelcome comments about someone’s race, religion or background
– Threats and intimidation
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Workplace Bullying Behaviours (cont..)
© Human Factor Australia
Non-verbal Abuse– Rude gestures and disrespectful facial expressions– Unfair workloads – Withholding of resources or information needed to
undertake work– Unnecessary changes in work patterns or conditions– Denying access to rights or promotions– Isolation and exclusion– Stalking– Displaying offensive material– Leering
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Workplace Bullying Behaviours (cont..)
© Human Factor Australia
Physical Abuse– Unwelcome pranks, horse-play and practical
jokes– Invading personal space and stand over tatics– Uninvited touching or brushing against
someone– Pushing, shoving, hitting, tripping, spitting– Damage to personal property
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Bullying Facts & Figures
© Human Factor Australia
46% of Australians have been verbally or physically abused by someone at work
(Morgan Poll, Finding No.3091, June 1998)
10% of the workforce nationally experience bullying at any one time
(Rob Hulls, Victorian Minister for Industrial Relations, Feb 2003)
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Who gets bullied? Who does the bullying?Bullying usually comes from within the
workplace:– A manager or supervisor may bully a subordinate
– An employee may bully another employee
– A group of employees may gang up on another employee or group
– Very rarely a customer or client may bully an employee
– Targets are most likely to be women, young people and those in precarious or insecure employment, such as casual employees or sub-contractors
© Human Factor Australia
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Reported bullying is a tip of the icebergWhy don’t people report bullying
– Fail to recognise it even though they feel bad– Hold mistaken beliefs (it will go away)– Feel embarrassed (Don’t know how to ask for
help)– Are afraid of retaliation – Are afraid of losing their job– Think no one will believe them (your word
against mine)
© Human Factor Australia
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Signs of Bullying
A sudden loss or gain of weightUnusually tired, lethargic and disinterestedQuiet and withdrawnBeing easily brought to tears or angeredRegular headachesFall behind in work or make simple mistakes Isolated from their peersUnexplained increase in absences
© Human Factor Australia
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Impacts on People
Undermines a persons self-esteem and self-confidence
Increases our level of anxiety and creates stress
Can be both physical and psychological as the bullying is repeated over time – can become chronic
© Human Factor Australia
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Impacts on workplaces
Direct Costs– Lost productivity, lowered performance and increased
accidents– Increase absenteeism– Low staff morale– Cost of stress claims, compensation, litigation or court
fines– Higher insurance premiums
© Human Factor Australia
Cont…..
Research estimates that the average cost of a case of ‘serious’ workplace harassment (for example where the workplace harassment persists for at least a six-month period) is between $17,000 and $24,000).
QLD Workforce Bullying Task Force, 2002.
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Impacts on workplaces Indirect Costs
– Recruitment, replacement and induction/training for a new employee when an employee leaves due to bullying (estimated at 50%-200% of the exiting employee’s annual salary)
– Increased workloads on co-workers
– Loss of knowledge and expertise
– Loss of customers to competitors
– Reputation on the line – deters future quality employees
© Human Factor Australia
About 75% of victims leave workplaces because of bullying. Bullies rarely do. Source: Namie & Namie, 2000
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Impacts on workplaces- statistics
“In 1999 the CEO of AIM estimated the total direct costs for a company of 100 employees on an average salary of $35,000 to be $175,000 based on costs associated with absenteeism, staff turnover, legal representation, investigation, worker’s compensation premiums”.
QLD Workplace Bullying Task Force Report, 2002
© Human Factor Australia
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Organisation Factors that Support Bullying
© Human Factor Australia
• Bullying is likely in organisations where:- There is an atmosphere of unhealthy competition
- Management believes workers must be harassed to be productive
- There is a culture of fear
- Individual differences are not valued
- A climate of informality encourages a lack of respect
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• Supervision is problematic:- Supervisors are appointed without the skills to
supervise effectively
- People are under-worked and under-supervised
- People are over-worked and over-supervised
- Job mobility is reduced
- Morale is low
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Organization Factors that Support Bullying (cont…)
© Human Factor Australia
• Power imbalances encourage abuse- There is change to work practices, or
restructuring is taking place
- Systems, such as performance appraisals can be abused without detection
- There are poor lines of communication
- There are poor relationships between management and workers
- Team work is not encouraged
- Employee involvement is not facilitated
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Effective workplace strategies
Have a no-bullying policy and procedures in place Communicate consequences for bullying at work to
employees Provide bullying prevention training and information
to all employees and subcontractors Ensure managers and supervisors have essential people
management, stress management and communication skills
Take reports of bullying seriously Investigate reports promptly Respond to investigations in-line with their planned
procedures Provide couselling, training and support to bullies,
victims and onlookers as needed
© Human Factor Australia
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Thank you for your attention!
Esther Hudson403 289-0206
Chris Hylton800 449-5866
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International Trade AdministrationOffice of Human Resource ManagementEmployee and Labor Relations Presents
Preventing and Dealing withWorkplace Violence
D. LinderHuman Resource Specialist
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Training ObjectivesTraining Objectives
•Policy
•Warning Signs Identified
•Reporting Processes
•Accountability
•Communications
•Resources
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Workplace Violence Prevention – Resource Page
Websites
•http://www.opm.gov
•http://www.opm.gov/ehs/workplac/index.asp
•http://www.fsis.usda.gov/employees/workplace_violence_prevention/index.asp
•USDA Handbook on Workplace Violence Prevention and Response
•http://www.milbank.org/0107foodsafety.html
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Workplace Violence Workplace Violence
Workplace Violence- Any act of violence, against persons or property, threats, intimidation, harassment, or other inappropriate disruptive behavior that causes fear for personal safety at the worksite.
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Unresolved Conflict
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Journal of Management 1998 Study
The 10 most frequent acts of Workplace Aggression
• Spreading false rumors
• Interrupting a person while he/she is speaking
• Acting in a condescending manner
• Ridiculing a person’s opinions in front of others
• Failing to return calls or respond to memos
• Giving the “silent treatment”
• Engaging in verbal sexual harassment
• Staring, dirty looks
• Damning with faint praise
• Showing up late for meetings run by the target
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Bullying / Mobbing
Bullying is the repeated, malicious, verbal mistreatment of a Target by a harassing bully (the instigator), that is driven by the bully’s desire to control the Target.
Mobbing denotes a malicious attempt to force a person out of the workplace by co-workers. Mobbing denotes a ganging up of people and is a group issue. Mobbing is perpetrated in a continual fashion, sometimes systematically over time.
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Workplace Violence PreventionWorkplace Violence Prevention
All Federal Agencies should take the necessary steps to reduce the likelihood and the conditions that allow for or encourage violence in the workplace. The worksite environment should remain free of behavior, actions or language that causes or contributes to workplace harassment, violence, the threat of violence or harassment, or bullying by or against Commerce employees. This behavior is unacceptable and won’t be tolerated.
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Accountability
Adversarial Approach vs. Problem Solving
Policy and Procedures
Reporting Processes
Policy Considerations
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Policy
• Departmental Policy & Support
• Directives /Notices-Updates
•Definitions
•Reporting Procedures
•Accountability-Customers, Employees and Contractors
•Crisis Management Plans
•Safety and Security Measures
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Policy Implementation
Implementation of Initiatives-Living Program
-Program Effectiveness
Facilitation, collection and processing of data
-Systems approach- trends, focus areas
Training Efforts- Mandatory
-New Employee / Supervisory Training
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Warning Signs Identified
Intimidation
Harassment
Depression
Extreme Behavior
Changes
Numerous Conflicts
Idle Threats
Veiled Threats
Statements of
Desperation
Substance Abuse
Verbal Threats
Physical Threats
Bullying
Retaliation
Inflexibility, paranoid, unreasonable expectations, coworker fear, weapons or firearm references
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Warning Signs–Potential Indicators• Inflexibility• Paranoid• Unreasonable Expectations• Coworker Fear• Obsessive Behavior (Stalking)• Focus on the Activities of Others• Identification with others who have engaged Workplace violence• Police Encounters• Contact with Target• Weapons, Firearms References
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Reporting Processes
Documentation Vital - incidents recorded/trends
• Accountability /Employee Actions
• Credibility-past incidents
• Supervisor Response/Proactive Measurements
• Due Process-detailed assignment / safety
• Internal Reporting Processes / Measurement
• Written Statements
• Law Enforcement
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Supervisory Accountability
• emergency evacuation procedures and have assistance (as necessary) regarding emergency evacuation situations
• ensure that administration of and procedures relating to Agency directives/ policy are enforced
• provide guidance to employees
• take all threats and concerns seriously
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Supervisory Accountability
•act immediately/ decisive actions
•effectively address incidents involving assault, threats, intimidation, or interference
•supervisory inquiry /ensure appropriate documentation
•ensure resolution efforts/ notify an employee
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Supervisory Accountability• maintain emergency points of contact to include employee emergency numbers, their assignment area Law enforcement Agencies, Physical Security Office, Workplace Violence Prevention Coordinator and Employee Assistance Programs
• proactive measurements
Supervisors who are aware of workplace harassment or bullying and fail to take immediate,
appropriate, corrective action, or fail to report such behavior, will be subject to disciplinary or
adverse action.
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Employee Accountability
• treat each other with respect & promote a safe work environment free of workplace violence
• follow procedures relating to Agency Policy/ Directives
• familiar with emergency evacuation procedures
• NOT engage in hostile acts, which threaten the safety and well being of customer, contractor or program personnel
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Employee Accountability
• report and document all concerns of workplace violence and or incidents immediately to their Immediate Supervisor and seek assistance
• cooperate with their Immediate Supervisor during a supervisory inquiry with regard to a workplace violence concerns
• maintain an emergency phone numbers
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Employee Accountability.
Statements of events are voluntary but are encouraged in assuring details of incident properly accounted for.
Employees who are aware of workplace harassment or bullying and fail to take
immediate, appropriate, corrective action, or fail to report such behavior, will be subject to
disciplinary or adverse action.
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Communications1. Accountability
2. Conflicts addressed
3. Due Process
4. Dispute Resolution Programs
5. Employee Resources
6. Policy Posted
7. Staff Meetings, Team Problem Solving
8. Technical Advice
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ResourcesTypes
1. Awareness Training- staff meetings
2. Employee Assistance Program
3. EEO-ADR
4. Hotline Numbers- Points of Contact-emergency /non-emergency
5. Law Enforcement/ Physical Security/OIG
6. Pro-active Approaches vs reactive
7. Technical Advice
8. Technology-email, websites, cell phones
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ResourcesPoints of Contact (sample)
1. Alternative Dispute Resolution Program OHRM (202) 482-2762
2. Employee Assistance Program (202) 482-1569
3. Domestic Violence Hotline Number 1-(800) 799-7233
4. Suicide Prevention 1-(800) Suicide
5. Building Security (202) 482-2222
6. Department of Commerce, Health Unit (202) 482-4088
7. Federal Protective Service (202) 690-9632
8. Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement
9. Bulletin Boards
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Our offer to you
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Please call if you have any HR, or workplace issue that you are overwhelmed with
We can help you
We also are pleased to do Free Workshops for your organization (some limits apply) Let us know what your needs are and we will make it happen!
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