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Wednesday, 24 February 2010 11:28 |
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 Thinking about introducing an anti-bullying policy or re-energising the one you have? Here are some of our thoughts…
A policy should :-
- Highlight that the costs resulting from sickness absence and staff turnover caused by bullying make this a business issue – not a personal one.
- Provide a clear definition of what amounts to bullying, making it clear that breaches of the policy may be subject to the disciplinary procedure.
- Be very clear that bullying occurs as much between colleagues as it does between e.g. senior managers and junior members of staff.
- Identify that many bullies do not set out to be bullies and problems often stem from poor communication skills, lack of emotional awareness etc. The means of addressing the issue will therefore vary hugely from one instance of bullying to the next and might include retraining rather than disciplinary action if that is appropriate.
- Include a sensible and easy mechanism for concerns/complaints ensuring employees, who are subjected to such acts, have a right and ability to complain about it.
- Ask that any member of staff who leaves because of bullying – whether they have previously raised this or not, makes an appropriate statement either during their exit interview or at the point of departure so the organisation can learn from what has happened.
- Identify local support services for those who do not wish to raise the issue internally. These might include GP referrals to psychologists, stress counsellors etc.
As well as ensuring an appropriate policy exists, aim to create a culture that supports people so that bullying is neither rewarded nor tolerated – whatever the seniority involved!
Training/coaching that might support this goal could include:
- Relationship management and communication skills training for those who have been known to ‘bully’.
- Listening and support skills training for staff representatives and or Human Resources staff who might be approached for support.
- Conflict management or assertiveness skills training for individuals who have experienced bullying.
- Profiling of individuals – including the bullied, the bullies and any others caught up in the crossfire - including training on understanding how different characters can bring out the best or worst in each other.
If you would like support with your anti-bullying policy or have any training/coaching needs, please do talk to us.
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