Workplace Bullying & Harassment Ultimate Training Resource

Extracts From
The Bullying Toolkit for Trainers,
HR Professionals and Management
‘Back Off !’
Combat Bullying & Harassment
in the Workplace
By
Carole Spiers MIHPE MISMA
World Authority on Corporate Stress
BBC Guest-Broadcaster • Author
Motivational Speaker
© Carole Spiers Group 2012

The Author –
Carole Spiers MIHPE MISMA

• Leading Authority on Corporate Stress
• Expert Witness to the UK Courts
• Weekly Gulf News Columnist
• BBC Guest-Broadcaster
• Motivational Speaker
• Author of Tolley’s Managing Stress in the Workplace
and Show Stress Who’s Boss!
• Established Carole Spiers Group in 1987

The Signs of Bullying Behaviour are
Highly Visible!

Or are They?

Cyber Bullying:
A Passive Form of Bullying

• Social networking e.g. Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIn
• Email, phone and by text message
• Camera phones, blogs, Youtube


Bullying

• It may come from management and is quite different
from legitimate pressures that we may experience
when, for example, there are deadlines or customer
requirements to be met
• Bullying is personal criticism or abuse in public or
private that humiliates and undermines self-esteem
and confidence


Bullying May Sometimes Be Referred To As:

• Personality clash • Macho
• Attitude problem management

• Autocratic management • Abrasiveness

• Poor management style • Intimidation

• Harassment • Unreasonable
behaviour
• Victimisation

Effects of Workplace Bullying
on the Organisation
• Damage to corporate image
• Adverse publicity
• Low morale
• Reduced productivity
• Rapid staff turnover
• Loss of respect for management
• Increased absenteeism
• Risk of litigation and associated costs
• Stress related problems

Examples of Bullying Behaviour
• Unreasonable demands: constant nit-picking and
criticism
• Intimidation
• Threats
• Public humiliation
• Personal insults, anger over trivial matters
• Ignoring or excluding an individual
• Spreading malicious rumours
• Continual unjustifiable comments or behaviour

Examples of Cyber Bullying Behaviour

• Email threats
• Email abuse
• Offensive emails
• Unpleasant comments, lies and
malicious gossip on social networking
sites


Bullying -v- Harassment
Bullying Harassment
A person who uses Trouble and annoy
their strengths or continually
power to coerce others
by fear; to persecute or
oppress by force or
threat

• Bullying differs to harassment
in that there is no obvious bias
towards, race, gender or
disability
• The serial bully is usually able
to keep their prejudices under
wraps


Harassment
People can be subject to harassment on a wide variety
of grounds including:
• Their race, ethnic origin, nationality
• Their sex or sexual orientation
• Their religious or political convictions
• Their membership or non-membership of a trade
union
• Their disability, age etc.

Events that Trigger Bullying and
Harassment
• There is a reorganisation
• A new manager is appointed
• Refusing to obey an order
which violates rules, regulations
and procedure
• Obvious displays of affection,
respect or trust from co-workers
• The previous target leaves
• Blowing the whistle on incompetence, malpractice,
fraud, illegality etc

The Consequence of Bullying at Work
• Declining productivity and profit
• Lack of motivation
• Industrial unrest
• People feel undervalued
• Staff are demoralised (‘If I cant do anything right, what
is the point of making an effort?’)
• No organisational structure (‘Who are we supposed to
turn to when the boss is a bully?’)


Financial Costs
Green v Deutsche Bank August 2006
• £800,000 award to Helen Green for employees offensive,
abusive, and intimidating behaviour towards her.
University of Bradford 2008
• A report conducted by Dr Sabir Giga found that the fallout from
workplace bullying costs the British economy £13.75 billion
each year
Browne v NHS January 2012
• Senior NHS manager awarded £1m compensation for racial
discrimination and unfair dismissal after he was subjected to a
'breathtaking and callous' campaign of bullying and
harassment from colleagues.


Costs of Bullying in the Workplace
• Absenteeism and high staff turnover
• Staff looking tense or troubled
• Loss of investment in training
• A change in atmosphere
• Reduced productivity
• Less concern with quality
• Low morale and loss of initiative
• Lack of creative input


Why do Individuals Tolerate Bullying?

• Can’t be bothered to fight
• Low confidence
• Low self-esteem
• Vulnerable
• Scared of losing job
• Intimidated
• Sense of pride


Chronic Bullies May:

• Feel inadequate
• Feel humiliated
• Be bullied at home
• Be scapegoats
• Be under pressure to succeed
• Feel they are different


Early Warning Signs of Being Harassed or
Bullied:

• ‘This relationship feels different to any I have previously
experienced’
• ‘I am persistently got at’
• ‘My work is being criticised, even though I know my
standards have not slipped’
• ‘I am beginning to question whether these mistakes I am
supposed to have made really are my fault’


Why Some People Are Singled Out For Attack:

• Being popular and competent
• Being too old or too expensive (usually both)
• Strong forgiving streak: always thinks well of others
• Being recognised, rewarded or promoted
• Age/marital status/good looks
• Outspokenness
• Timidity / Disability
• Vulnerability (e.g. mortgage, single parent)
• Standing up for a colleague who is bullied

Types of Questions to Ask the Person Who is
Feeling Bullied or Harassed

• Tell me more about your situation?
• What has changed?
• Do you have a new Manager?
• Has pressure on your current boss increased?
• Have you recently changed jobs?
• Are your objectives being repeatedly altered?
• Have you been asked to do things outside your job
description?

Feelings Experienced by the Manager
During a Bullying/Harassment Interview

• Embarrassment
• Awkwardness
• Anger or resentment (if discussion is relating to a fellow
colleague of theirs)
• Out of their depth
• Not knowing what to say
• Lacking in confidence


Addressing The Problem
• Legislative change
• Seek legal redress
• Develop a Code of practice
• Ensure Managers bound to follow appropriate
standards of conduct
• Encourage a Holistic approach: problem solving not
punitive
• “Soft” skill development


Exit Questionnaires

Questions to be included:

• Have you ever been bullied?
• Have you been bullied in the last 6 months?
• Have you ever witnessed bullying behaviour?

If ‘Yes’ to any of the above, what did you do?


The Way Forward
• Watch the workplace for a change in atmosphere
among the staff. When cheerfulness turns to virtual
silence. “Walking the Floor” type of management will
be counterproductive if the boss is a bully
• Use stress/culture audits or upward assessments to
identify problem areas
• Introduce agenda-free meetings to provide a platform
for troubled staff
• In exit interviews, include the specific question “ Have
you experienced bullying in this organisation”

Where Do We Go From Here?
• Develop a robust Policy and Procedure
• Create a healthy Corporate Culture
• Achieve genuine commitment at Board level
• Adopt a zero tolerance policy on workplace bullying


• Need to deliver a workplace bullying training programme
but have no time to prepare?
• Download this Training Toolkit Pack Immediately.

This Training Package personally written by Carole Spiers includes:

1.Workbook – for copying in any number
2.Tutor guidance notes
3.Sample training programme
4.Questionnaire: Are you being bullied?
5.Case Studies
6.20 Frequently Asked Questions
7.Special Report ‘Taking the lid off workplace bullying’.
8.Powerpoint Presentation

Download immediately today.
http://bit.ly/TEP0UH £350.00

Contact Us Today for Proven
Stress Management Solutions
Carole Spiers Group
International Stress Management &
Employee Wellbeing Consultancy
Phone: +44 (0) 20 8954 1593
(London Office)
Email: info@carolespiersgroup.co.uk
Web: www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk

For expertise in:
Communication Skills, Entrepreneurship,
Stress Management, Cultural Diversity, Organisational
Change and Post Trauma Support © Carole Spiers Group 2012

Workplace Bullying & Harassment Ultimate Training Resource

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