Businesses are constantly
trying to achieve high levels of output and performance from employees in an
ever more competitive market place.
Steps taken during the 1990s to down-size, re-structure and de-layer
have left many organizations needing to achieve the same or greater results
with a reduced and increasingly pressurized workforce. This situation coupled, in some cases, with
negative, autocratic or divisive styles of management is likely to cause a
climate where harassment and bullying obtain.
Everyone
should be treated with dignity and respect at work. Harassment and bullying of any type are in no-one’s interest and
should not be encouraged, perpetrated or tolerated in the workplace.
How Training can help
Training
can help to create an atmosphere where bullying and harassment do not
exist. There are two forms of training,
which will help to create the necessary positive environment.
1.Training events, material and solutions specifically designed to
minimize harassment and bullying or to process complaints if they do arise
2.The inclusion in general training events, and provision, of material,
concepts and ideas which:
·
reinforce
the right of the individual to dignity and fair treatment at work
·
develop
appropriate styles of management
·
define
and inculcate acceptable and appropriate standards of behaviour and methods of
dealing with work colleagues
Induction
The fact that harassment and
bullying are not permissible in the organization needs to be explained at
Induction. It needs also to be covered
in the Staff Handbook or Induction Pack given to all New Joiners. The emphasis at this stage should be on the
standards required and the acceptable behaviours expected. More detail should follow later. At Induction it is enough to explain what is
expected and what is not acceptable.
The emphasis at this stage must be on the right of everyone to dignity
and respect at work and the fact that anything which runs counter to this will
not be accepted by the business.
Continuing
Training
All training courses,
workshops, seminars and events designed or provided for employees at all levels
should include concepts, precepts and, where appropriate, directions which will
lead to:
·
an
understanding of the organization’s stance on bullying and harassment
·
appropriate
behaviour
·
the
encouragement of a bullying and harassment free environment
·
good
communication
·
an open
involving management style which concentrates on process (i.e. how people are
managed) as well as output (what people achieve)
·
managers and
other employees valuing and respecting diversity
·
skills and
attitudes which will enable people generally to challenge inappropriate
behaviour when they observe it used towards other colleagues
·
the
acquisition and use of assertiveness skills
·
the understanding
of all relevant policies i.e. discipline, grievance, anti harassment/bullying
·
agreeing
objectives and outputs
Training of Managers
Managers’ training should:
·
clarify the
difference between strong effective but supportive management and coercive tactics
which belittle and harass individuals
·
aid managers
to create an appropriate working climate to prevent harassment and bullying
·
enable
managers to check harassing and bullying tendencies in themselves and others
·
equip
managers to recognize the signs of harassment and bullying before they become
too entrenched in the workplace
·
inform
managers of the organization’s policies on the subject and on related issues
such as discipline and grievance
·
clarify
managers’ roles in learning about and hearing and handling both formal and
informal complaints
·
clarify for
managers how they are to liaise with Personnel and HR on issues relating to
harassment and bullying
·
introduce
managers to best practice in supervision techniques and the skills required to
define and agree SMART objectives
·
encourage
managers to focus on the inputs and processes of managing in addition to the
results and outputs required from people.
Training for other Employees
·
Related
training for non-managerial employees needs to be designed to help individuals
to:
·
value and
respect diversity
·
appreciate
the personal and organizational consequences of harassment and bullying
·
understand
the personal responsibility they have for implementing the organization’s
policies
·
recognize,
challenge and avoid unacceptable behaviours.
Training in such areas as
teamworking and assertiveness would also be useful for all employees.
Specialist
Training
Individuals who need
further, more specialized training include those who are involved in:
·
designing an
anti-harassment and bullying policy
·
interviewing
as a result of, or responding to a complaint
·
carrying out
exit interviews.
Diane has recently been speaking at the HOT (Hands on
Training) Conference at the NEC in Birmingham.
Her session, ‘Moving to Distance Learning on a Grand Scale’ was based on
our recent involvement in:
·
running a series of
workshops for RAF trainers at Cosford on writing self-study/distance learning
material, evaluating self-study and supporting self-study
·
working with HM Customs
& Excise Training staff at six different sites to develop six separate
distance learning packages, which involved Diane in acting as coach, Subject
Matter Expert, contributor, editor and producer of master copies/disks.
Many organizations are
becoming more involved in designing and writing their own distance learning
material, and if you would like further information about our expertise in this
area, or any other area of training design/consultancy, please do: call, fax,
e-mail, or contact us by post using our free-post address:
4
Rochbury Close, Bamford, Rochdale, Lancashire OL11 5JF
Tel: 01706 659299
Fax: 10706 353131
E-mail: training@dba.co.uk
Web: www.dba.co.uk
FREEPOST OL5480, Rochdale, Lancs OL11
5ZZ