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🔒 🔒 🔒 [Audiobook] Human Resources | Workplace Bullying
How do you handle a workplace bully, especially when they wield significant power? Today, we promise to equip you with the tools and insights to create a safe and inclusive work environment. We kick off with an introduction to our Workplace Bullying Workshop, offering a thorough breakdown of different bullying forms—from verbal to cyberbullying—and various types of bullies like pranksters and boss bullies. Through the case study of John and his supervisor Michael, we shed light on real-life scenarios and recommend steps to tackle such behavior effectively.
Next, we explore the tactics bullies use to prey on their victims, such as isolation and impossible tasks. We emphasize the pivotal role of human resources and the unique challenges faced by victims, particularly those reporting on higher-ups. Using stories like those of Veronica and Tamara, Mason and Isaac, we underscore the emotional, physical, and psychological toll that bullying exacts. We also reference a Forbes article to help you recognize a toxic work environment and provide practical tips for addressing these pressing issues.
Finally, we focus on the actionable steps companies and individuals can take to combat workplace bullying. From enforcing clear anti-bullying policies to conducting effective training sessions, we outline the responsibilities of companies in safeguarding their employees. We highlight the Occupational Safety and Health Act's mandates and specific strategies for handling different types of bullies. Through the story of Nathan and his co-workers, we underscore the importance of accountability and continuous education in fostering a respectful and healthy workplace. Join us for invaluable advice and strategies to make your workplace safer and more inclusive for everyone.
Sign up for our self-paced courses or instructor-led workshops at www.ht-a.solutions
Sign up for our self-paced courses or instructor-led workshops at www.ht-a.solutions
Sign up for our self-paced courses or instructor-led workshops at www.ht-a.solutions
Workplace Bullying Module 1. Getting Started Welcome to the Workplace Bullying Workshop. Training on preventing bullying in the workplace is crucial in creating a workplace that is inclusive and safe for all to work. This workshop will introduce you to your company's responsibility with regard to preventing bullying, as well as the effects of bullying. It talks about what to do if one is being bullied or witnesses another person being bullied. It will also describe the steps that should be taken when it is determined that employees are not in compliance with the business policy. Module 2. What is workplace bullying?
Speaker 1:Workplace bullying happens a lot more than people actually realize. It doesn't just affect the person being bullied, but can make the entire workplace toxic. According to HeadsUporg, a website that provides workplace resources for employees, employers, managers and small business owners, the definition of workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behavior directed toward an employee or group of employees which creates a risk to health and safety. This type of harmful behavior in the workplace often goes unreported, mainly because of its shameful, intimidating effect on the victimized employee. So many of these horrible incidents don't come to light because the employee who is being bullied is working a lower-level position and they're probably being bullied by someone that does the hiring and firing at that company. However, it's not always a boss or manager who is doing the bullying, and it can very well be a co-worker on the same level and or pay grade as the person feeling victimized.
Speaker 1:Whether verbal or cyber, any form of bullying is detrimental to the one being bullied. What is verbal bullying? With verbal bullying, the bully uses their words and or writing to be hurtful or mean. This can be done via teasing, calling someone names, unsolicited sexual comments, making threats to harm or mocking. The aggressor seeks to achieve dominance over the victim by demeaning or lowering their self-esteem. What is cyberbullying? With cyberbullying, the bully uses sources such as cell phones, computers and social media to spread false or unkind information about someone else, which can cause humiliation. Emailing and texting are two common forums used to perpetrate this behavior.
Speaker 1:As previously mentioned, workplace bullying can come in many forms. One of these is the prankster, someone who doesn't know the difference between what's mean and what's funny. Another one would be the saboteur. This is a person who tries to take credit for work that you did or go out of their way to make your job harder than it has to be. There are critics, also known as haters. These are the folks who, no matter how good a job you do, it's never good enough for them. There are also those bullying employees who simply shut you out. For example, they won't tell you when there's a meeting among employees where important information may be dispersed, then blame you for not knowing the proper procedure or course of action when the time comes to use that information or training on the job. There is the boss bully, the person who controls whether or not you keep your job. This type of bully feels that you are required to agree with them about everything they do or say, job-related or otherwise, whether they are morally right or wrong. Boss bullies also may attempt to treat you like a puppet and try to force you to do tasks that are abnormal or seemingly only for their amusement. For over two decades, the Workplace Bullying Institute has provided services for unions, employers, expert witnesses, consulting and employer education. According to their research, almost 20% of Americans have been bullied at work at some point and over 60% of employees in the United States are affected by workplace bullying in some way. The research also indicates that about 65% of the time, the person being bullied at work is a woman and that 70% of the time, the person who's doing the bullying is a man.
Speaker 1:John is talking to his co-worker, josh, about their supervisor, michael. John explains to Josh that Michael is always sending him emails about the new policies he wants to implement and is asking John's opinion on them. John agrees that some of the policies would be beneficial but says others may be harmful to the productivity of the team. When John disagrees, michael sends back an email stating that John needs to get on board with everything he's doing or John's job could be in jeopardy. John doesn't see the connection between agreeing with Michael and keeping his job. He asks Josh's thoughts on the matter. Josh tells John that it sounds like Michael is trying to bully him into taking his side and suggests that he talk to Michael and or HR about the matter at once. John said he never thought of it that way and agreed that he would talk to Michael and if things do not change, he would set up a meeting with human resources.
Speaker 1:Module 3. Why does one bully? Bullies hardly ever bully because they think they're bigger and badder than anyone else. In fact, quite the opposite is true, and they actually have issues with their own confidence. One of the main reasons that a person bullies is because they are not confident in their own abilities. The way they choose to respond to this incompetence is by being extra aggressive or belittling to others. They are very sensitive to even the smallest comments. Actions or words directed toward them that are even slightly critical of their work performance will very likely be found offensive. This is one reason some workplace bullies act out the way they do. They feel threatened by their co-workers who outperform them. It may be a boss who is doing the bullying. They may feel threatened by a worker who is doing an excellent job, someone who could potentially replace them. Bullies can be controlling. One way they measure their productivity is by pushing others around and by talking down to them. This person may not necessarily be someone who does the hiring and firing. They may be a same-level co-worker trying hard to impress the boss. This type of bully wants the boss to see that they are in charge of workplace activities and that they are in control of their fellow employees. In a bully's mind, this is the type of behavior they think will eventually get them promoted.
Speaker 1:Instinctively, a person will know when they are being bullied, simply because of the way they feel. A workplace bully may try to make their victims feel isolated. For example, an entire office knows about a new rule, but one person isn't informed. When that person breaks that rule, one that they didn't even know about in the first place, they get punished for it. A workplace bully may also try to make their victim do impossible tasks or give them so much work to do that they could not possibly meet a deadline. When the deadline is not met, the bully may shout at the worker in front of other people, making them feel horrible and embarrassed. A bullying victim may let human resources know about this situation, but HR may suggest trying to work the problem out with the person. This approach will not likely be helpful, especially if the bully is in a higher position than the victim. The victimized worker feels they may lose their job if what they say to the bully is perceived as insubordinate.
Speaker 1:An article in Forbes magazine highlights five clear signs of a toxic work environment. The first sign is a narcissistic boss, whenever someone in charge thinks they can do no wrong and does not respond well to suggestions or constructive criticism, especially from people who are in lower ranking positions than they are. It can be intimidating to employees who are just trying to do a good job and be open about specific problems and or situations in the workplace. Another sign of a toxic work environment is when employees engage in negative gossiping sessions about a particular worker or supervisor. Having that kind of negative energy in the workplace can be mentally draining. The article also points out a lack of transparency as being toxic among employees. An example of this behavior might be when a worker is given a task and the instructions for completing that task are changed without informing the employee. The task is completed following initial directions, but completed incorrectly because of a lack of communication between the employee and the supervisor. When an employee is reprimanded for a particular reason but another employee is not reprimanded for that same reason, this is considered inconsistent rules, yet a further sign of a toxic workplace. A final sign is employee fatigue and burnout. When a company or establishment notes an increase in sick days and absenteeism or notices, employees are not being as productive as they usually are.
Speaker 1:Workplace bullying may be the reason and will need to be addressed and remedied. Sarah with Human Resources scheduled a meeting with Veronica regarding a complaint made by Tamara. During the meeting, sarah explained to Veronica that one of her co-workers told her team that she was being bullied by Veronica. She gave specific bullying examples and then asked Veronica if she had anything to say regarding the allegations. Veronica said she didn't realize she was being a bully, but admitted she was trying so hard to please the boss that she could see how some of the words and actions she used could be viewed in a negative way. She also asked if there was a way she could apologize to the person who made the complaint and ensured Sarah it would never happen again.
Speaker 1:Module 4. Effects on employees. When someone's being bullied in the workplace, they can go through many changes emotional, physical or psychological. When an employee wakes up in the morning and knows that they are going to be faced with a toxic work environment that day, one that includes constant workplace bullying, it can harm them emotionally. Having to go there every day will make them feel more anxious than they normally do. Depending on the severity of the bullying, the employee could become very sad, even if they don't display this emotion outwardly. Not being able to get counseling for this type of emotional pain could lead to more serious issues like depression. Generally, when we think about someone being bullied, we think of the junior high student being bullied by the football team. They stuff him inside his locker, dunk his head in the boy's bathroom toilet and find other ways to torment him.
Speaker 1:Bullying in the workplace is different. Victims often have trouble sleeping. They could develop major ongoing health problems such as high blood pressure or ulcers. Merriam-webster Dictionary defines the term psychological as directed toward the will or toward the mind, specifically in its conative function. The conative part of our brain is what directs us to respond to certain thoughts and feelings.
Speaker 1:When an employee is trying to do a good job but is always being undermined, manipulated, shut out and made to feel bad about the work they're doing, they may develop a negative view of that workplace and the people in it. It's important to remember that the way this person responds to bullying will not always be sadness or depression. Some people react to this type of abuse in violent ways. The incidents of mass school and office shootings over the years in the US by disgruntled previous employees are the proof of this type of response to constant bullying in the workplace. A loss of self-esteem in a usually hard-working employee is one of the more common effects of workplace bullying. That loss of confidence in their abilities will lead to other things like not being able to concentrate as well as they had in the past. In a healthier work environment, this employee would not have had a problem making decisions or with taking more control of the tasks at hand. If workplace bullying has been going on for some time, it could take many hours of counseling for this employee to return to the highly motivated and productive worker they once were.
Speaker 1:As Mason was walking into the office, isaac noticed that his face was pale and that he looked sick. After giving Mason a few minutes to get settled in, isaac approached him and asked if he was okay. Mason said he was and that he just had some things on his mind. Isaac did not want to pry but told Mason if he needed to talk he'd be there to lend a listening ear. Mason paused and then asked Isaac if they could step into the hall for a few minutes so they could talk. Mason went on to tell Isaac that he was stressed out because of his team lead, paul, he said. Ever since Paul became team lead he's been trying so hard to show their manager that he can do a great job. I understand why he wants to prove himself to management, but I don't understand why he has to bully those of us working under him to make that happen. Mason continued by saying that each evening he goes home with a headache and each morning his stomach churns as he enters the office. Isaac told Mason that the way he is being treated is not acceptable and he needs to talk to the appropriate person so that an immediate stop is put to it. Mason agrees and takes his complaint to his manager.
Speaker 1:Module 5. Effects on company. If a company ignores a person who says that they're being bullied while working there, it could end up hurting their bottom line more than they think. Investopedia did a report that highlighted percentages when it came to employee turnover and morale as a result of workplace bullying. In their research, they found that between 25% and 50% of the entire workforce has experienced some type of workplace bullying. Statistics show that 70% of employees who are victims of this end up leaving their employer. In addition to lowering the level of good morale among workers, the recruiting and training costs to obtain more employees is astounding. According to the Center for Workplace Mental Health, companies lose nearly $250 million every year as a result of workplace bullying. They point out very costly things like productivity, employee turnover, healthcare insurance claims, workers' compensation disputes, employee recruitment and retraining and litigation, these and other types of employee assistance programs, including those that cater to the counseling and mental health assistance of bullied employees can really put a dent in an organization's budget and earnings.
Speaker 1:Workplace bullying is something that can cripple an employee's productivity over a period of time. Statistics show that victims of bullying tend to become less productive the longer such behavior continues. Employees do not want to be exposed to such a toxic environment, so they call in sick more often when they are at work. The constant irritation and aggravation of the bullying simply doesn't allow them to mentally or physically perform at the level that they usually do. Even if an employee doesn't confront a bully at work or tell those in higher positions what's happening, they will talk about it outside of work to family, friends, neighbors, etc. This could easily ruin the reputation of a company, especially one that depends on localized clients. It can tarnish the company's image.
Speaker 1:Beverly and Patrick work in the human resources department. They are meeting to discuss the many employees who are suddenly resigning from their positions and the noticeable decrease in morale and productivity of the employees who are there. Patrick mentions some negative comments he has been hearing from outside the company. They are trying to put everything together in terms of why this is all happening. At the same time, beverly mentions that during the exit interview of one of their employees. The gentleman told her that the attitude of his supervisor was one of the driving forces in his decision to leave the company. Beverly and Patrick looked over the charts of the four employees that had recently left and noticed they were all under the same supervisor the supervisor the other former employee had mentioned in his exit interview. With this information, the pair decided to further investigate information on the supervisor to see if they could find a definite link.
Speaker 1:Module 6. Company Policy. More companies than ever before are setting anti-bullying policies into place to ensure that their workplace culture doesn't become toxic. Establishing a concrete anti-bullying policy is vital for companies within the US and worldwide, because many times people confuse harassment and bullying by thinking they are the same thing. There are actually differences between them that should be pointed out to employees. Who are not quite clear on the subject, business News Daily published a piece in early February of 2020 that explains it in more detail. According to the experts, bullying is specifically defined as words or actions that make a person feel uncomfortable, threatened or intimidated and is against the law. In some states, harassment is actually aggressive pressure that is equal to discrimination in some states. Employees should know the difference, so that if they make a report against someone, they don't label them as a bully when they're actually being harassed, or vice versa.
Speaker 1:Workplace bullying sometimes gets ignored when employees report incidents of it to their higher-level managers and supervisors, because there's no legal requirement for many companies to have an anti-bullying policy. When it comes to harassment, there's usually a requirement to have a policy in place. Of course, both of these policies are important, and an anti-bullying policy should be updated just as frequently as one for harassment. It's important for companies to make it a professional requirement that all employees complete workplace bullying training. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, osha, employers are responsible for providing a place of employment that is void of hazards that cause, or are likely to cause, harm or even death to its employees.
Speaker 1:More companies are taking workplace bullying training more seriously. If an employee is officially trained, knows what workplace bullying is and still continues to bully others, they can't respond by saying oh, I didn't realize I was bullying them. If a co-worker makes an accusation, those who are consistently bullying co-workers should be well aware that what they are doing is wrong and that there will be consequences for their actions if they are found to be guilty of them. In most instances, punishment for workplace bullying will start out with something like behavioral probation. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, the next step would be suspension from employment and, ultimately, termination of employment if deemed necessary. Camille and Aaron are working on the anti-bullying policy for ABC Paper Company. They are working to make sure they include all of the appropriate components of the policy, including the details of bullying and the consequences if one is determined to be a bully. Aaron asks Camille how they plan to go about training employees on the policy. She says they are going to allow employees to complete the training online and then do the test which ensures they understand and agree to the policy. She says they are going to allow employees to complete the training online and then do the test which ensures they understand and agree to the policy.
Speaker 1:Module 7. Training. It's easier today than ever before for companies to educate their workers about workplace bullying. Workplace bullying training needs to be specific to bullying, not harassment, because they are two different things. Some of the other names this course may be known by are bullying in the workplace training, violence in the workplace training, workplace bullying training, workplace violence, class of workplace violence and bullying. A section that explains what vulnerable groups are control and prevention methods, how to deal with active shooter situations and a section on responding to workplace bullying. Supervisors, employees at all levels and in all departments need to be trained on workplace bullying. This includes mid-management, higher management, those who work in human resources and the higher-level executives. These executives are the people who need to realize how to respond when lower-level employees bring these issues to them, how to go about conducting an investigation and how to recognize it if they themselves are being bullied.
Speaker 1:The workplace bullying training can be conducted as an online course or in person. There are some things to remember when conducting the training in person. Training sessions take time to prepare. It is just as important to try to make any mandatory training sessions engaging as it is to make them informative. Every teacher needs a lesson plan, and the same is true of workplace bullying training. Trainers need to consider their audience and bring the appropriate materials, such as videos, with them. Lesson Plan Outline Title, session Goals, key Points, how it relates to the company, questions and Answers. Before conducting a training session, prepare the room, make sure there are enough seats and the lighting and temperature are comfortable. It is also important to make sure that you have all necessary equipment and enough paperwork for the participants. A question and answer session should always be held once the training is complete. Additionally, employees should be given the contact information of the person or persons designated to answer any questions that may arise in the future. Upon the completion of the course, the employees will receive an official certificate saying that they have finished and that they understand all of the training materials that they just went through. The employee will then sign and date a workplace bullying training confirmation sheet that is to be kept in their employee file. This will solidify that they have taken and completed this workplace bullying training. Only upon the completion of this training will the employee sign and date this paperwork. Penelope, chris and Zara are preparing to conduct an in-person session on the company's updated anti-bullying policy. Managers, supervisors and their employees will be in attendance. Penelope and Chris are preparing the room so that it is conducive to learning, while Zara is looking over the PowerPoint presentation to make sure each lesson includes the title, session goals, key points, how they relate to the company and questions and answers. The three have determined everything is in order and they are ready to go ahead with the training Module 8.
Speaker 1:Company Responsibility In order to ensure a safe work environment. Companies across the board are making learning about workplace bullying a top priority. It's important to know that there are no federal laws against actual workplace bullying, so technically it is not illegal, but there are laws out there that protect employees from other things like a worker being treated badly by managers or co-workers because of a disability, their age, their race, their gender or their national origin. That being said, in order for bullying to be looked at as being illegal, the workplace bully would have to cross specific lines that are a violation of state and federal laws that actually protect from harassment and or discrimination.
Speaker 1:One of the most important things for a bullied employee to do is to keep a record of when and where the incidents of bullying happened. Not only do they need to document the details of the occurrence, but they also need to record who they complained to about the bullying. The victim needs to write down the name of that supervisor or higher-level manager to whom they reported bullying, specifically documenting the time, date and place when they told them. Also, it's not uncommon for employees to use their phones to record what they are saying to a supervisor. In addition to the employee keeping a record of complaints, the company must implement their own method of keeping records. This will prove to be beneficial to the employee and protect the company.
Speaker 1:When multiple complaints come in about the same person or group who are being accused of workplace bullying, the supervisors, managers and or owners and higher-level executives need to start making the effort to investigate what's going on in their workplaces. They could do so by directly talking to the person or persons who are being accused. If the incidents continue to happen, they will need to take bigger steps to eliminate this problem, by bringing in outside investigators or by disciplining the bully with probation or suspension of employment In the worst cases. The people who are continuously causing the workplace to be toxic because of their bullying of co-workers should be terminated. There are situations when a person may not realize the seriousness of their behavior and genuinely not know they are being labeled or seen as a bully. In this occurrence, the upper management of a company should actually sit down with that person, let them know what they're doing wrong and fix the bullying issue right. Then and there it works out well for everyone and reduces the toxicity of the workplace. It's always good when someone who was previously seen as pushy, arrogant or controlling can come face to face with the victim apologize and move forward without legal or administrative action. This, of course, does not always happen and sometimes resolving complaints will end up with someone being disciplined or terminated because of the ongoing bullying incidents, william stormed into Gregory's office and said he feels as though the company is not doing everything they should to make sure all employees feel protected from aggressive employees. William is asked to elaborate, he explains that there are two members of his team who are known around the company as bullies. He said he had witnessed them harass others on many occasions and had been a personal victim of theirs. William also stated that he had made several formal complaints but it seemed that no investigation had been completed and there definitely hadn't been any resolution. Gregory profusely apologized for the situation and said he would make it his mission to ensure William's complaints were investigated and resolved in a timely manner. William thanked Gregory and left his office feeling accomplished.
Speaker 1:Module 9. Being Bullied. Would you know if you were being bullied at work by a co-worker? And if you were, what would you do about it? After being bullied at work, some victims may feel so embarrassed or ashamed that they will actually ignore seeking the counseling and support that they really need. It's important to remember that personal health physical and mental should be prioritized when recovering from these types of traumatic situations, especially if they had been going on for a long period of time. It's okay to see medical professionals, mental health specialists or to seek therapy. Also, it's important when trying to recover from mentally damaging workplace bullying to not isolate oneself from friends and family.
Speaker 1:Consistently documenting events of workplace bullying as they happen will be in a person's best interest if they are the victim. Being able to document these episodes well will depend on how well the employee actually understands workplace bullying. This is why employees receiving official training to recognize signs of this type of behavior is very necessary. Those who are being bullied should research state and company policies to see how they match up with what's going on in their own situation. Knowing who to report to when they are being bullied is something that should be explained in the training. If a person is ever ignored by a higher-level manager or supervisor when reporting workplace bullying, that employee should know that they have every right to go above their immediate supervisor's head and talk to their bosses. They should never hesitate to seek out those people in the company who work in human resources, call company hotlines or report to other high-ranking company officials about how they have been experiencing workplace bullying on a regular basis.
Speaker 1:Speaking up to a bully is likely the hardest thing for a victimized employee to do. They may be afraid of the person, or the bully may be someone who can fire them. In this situation they should try to pull the bully aside and away from other people to talk to them one-on-one. Bullies are generally concerned about what others think and that's why they will sometimes try to embarrass their victims in front of other co-workers. Confronting your bully alone is a good method to get straight to the point. In this conversation. The victim should be completely honest with the bully about how the situation affects them. If this private conversation doesn't work and the bully doesn't back off, then the next step would be to talk to upper management.
Speaker 1:Ivy talked to Harry about an incident of bullying she witnessed happening to him. Harry said it has happened a few times, but it's not a big deal. Ivy explained to Harry that the behavior of the perpetrator is not appropriate in any setting and that he should seek support from HR to make sure this doesn't continue. Harry admitted that he knows that the behavior is not okay, but he feels embarrassed about going to HR because the bully is a woman who is half his size. He felt like he would be viewed as a wimp and no one would take him seriously. Ivy said no matter who is doing the bullying, there should be documentation so it can be investigated and stopped. Harry said he will talk to the bully first and let her know he won't tolerate her actions anymore and if that doesn't work, he will then make a complaint with human resources, module 10.
Speaker 1:Someone else being bullied? Some people out there just don't stand up for themselves like they should. Would you stand by and watch a co-worker get bullied over and over again? If you're the type of person who doesn't like to stand by and see people get pushed around, then bravo to you. And there is a way that you could effectively utilize that personality trait. If you witness one of your co-workers being bullied in the workplace, if you find yourself sitting on the sidelines overhearing or even bearing witness to someone being bullied on the job, the best thing that you can do initially is pull that victim to the side and ask them if they realize that they are being bullied and that it is wrong for that to be happening. It's important to establish this knowledge because sometimes they may not even realize that the way someone is continuously aggravating them, isolating them, gossiping about them or treating them badly in other ways is actually labeled as workplace bullying, and it needs to stop immediately.
Speaker 1:When you witness the bullying, pull the victimized person to the side and let them know that something must be done about it. It's important that you encourage them to document these incidents. They may be hesitant to do so, but let them know that without proof there will be no record or building of a case against the bully. Tell them that they can write down what happens to them and that you have their back when it comes time to take it to the supervisors. Try to make them understand that taking the time to write something down will be very convincing in the eyes of whoever they report it to, and it will make them take the victim's case a lot more seriously. Let the victim of workplace bullying know that you are available to be with them when they speak to the supervisor, manager or human resources personnel. You should also tell them that if they do not report it, you will. Your support may offer them the courage to act. At that point they'll probably be willing to make a report.
Speaker 1:There are three main types of workplace bullies the email bully, the social media bully and the age-old mean bully. The email bully may start a conversation about a particular co-worker. It's in the best interest of this co-worker not to respond to that email, but instead to confront the instigator of the group email and ask for clarification of the meaning, as the intent was not clear. Confronting the bully can help build your confidence and put an end to the bullying. The social media bully goes online gossiping with the intent of tarnishing the image of a particular co-worker. Instead of going back and forth online with this bully, the victim should ignore them. The old-fashioned mean bully is the loud, obnoxious one that you cannot talk to. No matter how hard you try to resolve the situation with them, it's no use and they keep doing the same thing over and over again. When you find yourself at the point that you cannot talk to them, take it to the supervisor.
Speaker 1:Samantha is crying in the restroom. Faith asks her what's wrong. Samantha states that she is being bullied by Jackie, an employee who has been with the company for five years. Faith asks Samantha if she has reported this to her manager or filed a complaint with Human Resources. Samantha bluntly says I haven't and I don't plan on doing so. I'm afraid they won't believe me because they have worked with Jackie for so long. Even if they do believe me, they'll speak to Jackie and I'm afraid she'll retaliate. Faith assures Samantha that she understands her concerns but she doesn't have to put up with being mistreated. Samantha agrees with Faith, but she just doesn't have the guts to do it. Faith asks if it would help if she accompanied her to HR to make the report. She says she will not only be there as emotional support but that she will back up everything Samantha says. Samantha agrees that Faith's presence would give her the confidence she needs to make the report. The two head to Donna, the director of human resources.
Speaker 1:Module 11. Company Address the Bully. Eventually, the company has to say something to a bully that doesn't let up on his victims. If they don't do anything about it, the workplace can become toxic and others will think that bullying is okay. If after the person who has been bullied confronts the bully and has tried to work it out peacefully, and still the situation has not improved, the victim should then report the incidents to their immediate supervisors, human resources or upper management. The best way to do this is with a private meeting between the bully or bullies, the victim and company management.
Speaker 1:If the employee accused of workplace bullying is found guilty of the accusations, then actions must be taken to correct their inappropriate and unprofessional behavior. Sometimes this can be resolved by putting that person on probation. They continue to come to work as usual, but with certain rules now set in place. The bully should know that as a term of their probation, further reports of bullying will lead to added disciplinary action. Managers and supervisors may also suggest anger management classes, people skills classes or retraining in the company's workplace bullying training course. After taking the previously noted steps, hopefully behavior improves. If there are further infractions, the next step should be suspension, preferably without pay. The company needs to make an example of this behavior and let employees know that workplace bullying will not be tolerated. A company ultimately does not want to let an employee go. It costs extra money to recruit and train new employees. It is better if the bullying issue can be dealt with and resolved, but sometimes a person just doesn't change and rather than risk the workplace becoming more toxic, perhaps the best thing to do is to completely terminate their employment.
Speaker 1:Lionel and Kelsey are meeting with Nathan about the many charges of workplace bullying against him. They explain that, according to company policy, they must put him on probation. He will continue to come to work at his scheduled time, but he will be working in an area away from others. He will also be required to retake the company's workplace bullying training. Nathan said he was just playing with his co-workers and doesn't understand why the company must take things to this extreme. Lionel reminded Nathan that he took the company's anti-bullying training that outlines what bullying looks like and the consequences of engaging in such behavior. He also showed Nathan his file that he signed, stating he understood and agreed to the policy. After a brief hesitation, nathan agreed to the terms of his probation and signed the form, module 12.
Speaker 1:Wrapping Up Although this workshop is coming to a close, we hope that your journey to improve your understanding of workplace bullying is just beginning. We wish you the best of luck on the rest of your travels. Words from the wise Eminem. Dealing with backstabbers, there was one thing I learned they're only powerful when you got your back turned. Wc Fields. I don't have to attend every argument that I'm invited to Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. Benjamin Franklin, remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
