This document provides an overview of how to minimize bullying and harassment in the workplace. It begins with definitions of bullying and harassment, then discusses how bullying can manifest among adults. It recommends establishing clear anti-bullying policies, modeling respectful behavior, and consulting with employees. The impacts of bullying on individuals and organizations are addressed, as are strategies for prevention, handling reports, conducting investigations, and fostering a healthy culture. Reasonable management actions are distinguished from bullying. The document also covers sexual harassment, workplace romance policies, an example from Sweden, and best practices.

1. How to minimize bullying and
harassment at work
by Toronto Training and HR
June 2014

2. CONTENTS
3-4 Introduction
5-6 Definitions
7-9 Bullying when adults
10-12 Anti-bullying policies
13-15 Walking the talk
16-17 Impact of workplace bullying
18-20 A healthy, bully-free culture
21-24 Consultation with employees
25-26 Prevention is better than cure
27-28 How to handle reports of bullying
29-31 Investigations
32-34 Leadership responsibilities regarding culture
35-38 What constitutes reasonable management action?
39-41 Sexual harassment and workplace romance
42-45 Sweden in 1993
46-47 Best practice
48 Example policies
49-50 Conclusion, summary and questions
Page 2

3. Page 3
Introduction

4. Page 4
Introduction to Toronto Training
and HR
Toronto Training and HR is a specialist training and
human resources consultancy headed by Timothy Holden
10 years in banking
15 years in training and human resources
Freelance practitioner since 2006
The core services provided by Toronto Training and HR
are:
Training event design
Training event delivery
HR support with an emphasis on reducing
costs, saving time plus improving employee
engagement and morale
Services for job seekers

5. Page 5
Definitions

6. Definitions • Bullying
• Harassment
• Different terminology
around the world
Page 6

7. Page 7
Bullying when adults

8. Bullying when
adults 1 of 2
• Any offensive behaviour
that threatens, intimidates
or humiliates others in the
workplace
• Interference with or
sabotaging the work of
other employees
• Misuse of power to coerce
certain behaviours
Page 8

9. Bullying when
adults 2 of 2
• Use of rumours; gossip or
derogatory remarks to
harm another person’s
reputation
• Intentional exclusion or
isolation of an individual or
group
• Any form of sexual
harassment
Page 9

10. Page 10
Anti-bullying policies

11. Anti-bullying
policies 1 of 2
• Spell out what behaviors
constitute bullying
• Prohibit such behaviours
by everyone, regardless of
their position in the firm
Page 11

12. Anti-bullying
policies 2 of 2
• Establish processes and
procedures for
investigating bullying
claims and addressing
claims found to be true-
the response to claims
with merit could range up
to and including
termination, depending on
the circumstances involved
• Prohibit retaliation against
individuals who bring
bullying claimsPage 12

13. Page 13
Walking the talk

14. Walking the
talk 1 of 2
• Modeling respect and
welcoming diversity
• Consistently enforcing the
policy against bullying
• Breaking up cliques and
factions that use bullying
techniques
Page 14

15. Walking the
talk 2 of 2
• Welcoming legitimate
complaints and
grievances, taking them
seriously, acting on them
and protecting
whistleblowers
Page 15

16. Page 16
Impact of workplace
bullying

17. Impact of
workplace
bullying
• To the individual
• To the organization
Page 17

18. Page 18
A healthy, bully-free
culture

19. A healthy,
bully-free
culture 1 of 2
• Authenticity (sharing true
feelings)
• Mutuality (encouraging
each other)
• Sympathy (supporting
each other)
• Mercy (forgiving each
other)
• Honesty (speaking truth)
Page 19

20. A healthy,
bully-free
culture 2 of 2
• Humility (admitting
mistakes)
• Courtesy (respecting
differences)
• Confidentiality (avoiding
gossip)
• Frequency (making the
group a priority)
Page 20

21. Page 21
Consultation with
employees

22. Consultation
with employees
1 of 3
• Identifying the risk of
workplace bullying
• Making decisions about
control measures to deal
with workplace bullying
Page 22

23. Consultation
with employees
2 of 3
• Making decisions about
procedures including
those that explain how
to resolve work health
and safety issues or
monitor the conditions at
the workplace, for
example, developing
hazard reporting and
investigation procedures
relating to workplace
bullying
Page 23

24. Consultation
with employees
3 of 3
• Making decisions about
information and training
on workplace bullying
• Proposing changes to
the way work is
performed as this may
give rise to the risk of
workplace bullying
Page 24

25. Page 25
Prevention is better than
cure

26. Prevention is
better than
cure
• Identifying the hazard
• Controlling the risks
• Monitoring and review
• Early intervention
Page 26

27. Page 27
How to handle reports of
bullying

28. How to
handle
reports of
bullying
• Act promptly
• Treat all matters seriously
• Maintain confidentiality
• Be neutral
• Support all parties
• Do not victimize
• Communicate processes
and outcomes
• Keep records
Page 28

29. Page 29
Investigations

30. Investigations
1 of 2
• When should an
investigation be
undertaken?
• Policies and training
• Scope and process
• Who should be involved?
• Informing the parties of
the investigation
• Questions to ask
Page 30

31. Investigations
2 of 2
• The report and disclosure
• Actions which might be
taken
• Support following the
investigation
Page 31

32. Page 32
Leadership responsibilities
regarding culture

33. Leadership
responsibilities
regarding
culture 1 of 2
• Defining, articulating,
defending, interpreting
and celebrating the
values of the culture
• Strengthening and
enforcing core values
• Reaffirming basic values
through modeling and
walking the talk
Page 33

34. Leadership
responsibilities
regarding
culture 2 of 2
• Serving as the
conscience of the culture
• Passing the torch
(values) from one
generation of workers to
another
Page 34

35. Page 35
What constitutes
reasonable management
action?

36. What
constitutes
reasonable
management
action? 1 of 3
• Setting reasonable
performance objectives,
standards and deadlines
• Allocating working hours
where the requirements
are reasonable
• Transferring a worker for
operational reasons
Page 36

37. What
constitutes
reasonable
management
action? 2 of 3
• Deciding not to select a
worker for promotion where
a reasonable process is
followed and documented
• Informing a worker about
unsatisfactory work
performance when
undertaken in accordance
with any workplace policies
or agreements such as
performance management
guidelines
Page 37

38. What
constitutes
reasonable
management
action? 3 of 3
• Informing a worker about
inappropriate behaviour
in an objective and
confidential way
• Implementing
organizational changes or
restructuring
• Termination of
employment
Page 38

39. Page 39
Sexual harassment and
workplace romance

40. Sexual
harassment
and workplace
romance 1 of 2
• What is sexual
harassment?
• Positives of a workplace
romance
• Negatives of a workplace
romance
• Social media
• Restrictive, moderately
restrictive and less
restrictive policies
• Love contracts
Page 40

41. Sexual
harassment
and workplace
romance 2 of 2
• Proactive and reactive
strategies
• Strategic sexual
performance
Page 41

42. Page 42
Sweden in 1993

43. Sweden in
1993 1 of 3
• outlawed “recurrent
reprehensible or distinctly
negative actions which are
directed against individual
employees in an offensive
manner and can result in
those employees being
placed outside the
workplace community”
Page 43

44. Sweden in
1993 2 of 3
• created a duty for
employers to swiftly
investigate, mediate and
counter any instances of
bullying as well as
implement preventative
organizational measures
against workplace bullying
Page 44

45. Sweden in
1993 3 of 3
• took a “non-punitive”
approach to bullying by
aiming to resolve the
problem through dialogue
and consensus rather than
through sanctioning
employers
Page 45

46. Page 46
Best practice

47. Best practice • Clear organizational
statements making express
that harassment and
violence will not be
tolerated
• Implement procedures and
policies
• Raising awareness and
appropriate training of
managers and employees
Page 47

48. Page 48
Example policies

49. Page 49
Conclusion, summary and
questions

50. Page 50
Conclusion, summary and
questions
Conclusion
Summary
Videos
Questions