Webinar or workshop
As a manager, the pressure of dealing with the emotive topic of ‘Bullying’ can be daunting. Balancing personal feelings, ensuring that cultural and social differences are respected, ensuring organisational interests are protected, and acting within the law, can be challenging. In this webinar participants learn how to handle these situations with confidence, and to more easily identify bullying behaviour and the appropriate steps to take for effective resolution.
This module has been specially designed to help managers and supervisors understand and recognise the dynamics of bullying. It also equips attendees with ideas on improving communications in order to avoid appearing ‘heavy handed’ when instructing and supervising staff, particularly where deadlines and other pressures are involved. It also covers the statutory obligations towards staff, how to protect them and the interests of the organisation.
Lack of understanding and the absence of clear definitions of the term ‘bullying’ in the workplace means that is often used inappropriately. This can lead to managers feeling disempowered. Fearing an accusation of bullying – when attempting performance management for example – they withdraw and are unable to deal constructively with problem behaviour.
Genuine cases of harassment and bullying at work unfortunately do occur and most employers recognise this and have policies in place to deal with complaints. Genuine bullying has to be dealt with promptly and firmly, but confusion means that problems of a different nature can arise when the term ‘bullying’ is used without foundation, for example, to counter management instructions.
The face to face workshop enables attendees to discuss alleged cases of bullying and provides guidelines for dealing with complaints early. In many cases, this will mean that difficulties between the parties can be resolved and lengthy and costly formal procedures can be avoided.
The event will also equip managers with understanding and strategies for countering spurious accusations of bullying. Attendees will be given diagnostic criteria and clear guidelines on responding to accusations of bullying and encouraged to use structured and solution-focused questions with a view to maintaining productive working relationships.
Content
- Introduction and expectations
- Bullying and harassment: definitions
- Bullying: occupational risk factors
- Bullying checklist, how staff perceive it
- The manager’s dilemma: support staff and get results
- Effective communication around workload and deadlines
- Appropriate responses to accusations of bullying
- Three strategies for reducing false accusations
- Conflict resolution or mediation, when to get help
- Protecting the staff and the organisation.
Objectives
Improve their awareness of bullying issues
Recognise the risks in yourself and and others
Understand the Health and Safety and legal implications
Develop strategies for using the manager’s role responsively
Know when and how to intervene if bullying is reported
Feel more confident in discussing the topic with staff.
