It is all very well to have policies and procedures in place to address inappropriate behavior in the workplace. One of the biggest dilemmas is that a significant amount of inappropriate behavior is not yet reported. Why is this the case? I’ve listed some of the key reasons I think there are still problems when it comes to challenging bad behavior. I’ve also included some possible remedies you can consider when implementing anti-bullying and harassment strategies.
Fear
It could be argued that this is a common human reaction, particularly if it relates to challenging the misbehavior of another human being. However, to tell the truth, people fear that if they stand on a parapet and challenge inappropriate behavior, it will all bounce back. They may fear for their own job or for their health and safety. The common response may be to simply bury your head in the sand and wait for the problem to go away. It takes a lot of courage to confront a person and tell them that their behavior is offensive. Consider the options people have if they want to raise a concern. You may want to consider appointing contact officers, persons trained in the relevant law, and law enforcement. These folks are often an ideal first port of call for someone with a concern. Give people more than one option on how to report an incident. Make sure anti-harassment and bullying policies are well publicized and appear on bulletin boards and on your intranet site.
Mistrust in management
This old chestnut will never ask again. However, it is safe to assume that in many workplaces management still does not enjoy the trust and respect of the workforce. This is unfortunate, and even in the most positive work environment you will always find your dissenters finding fault with management. Policies and procedures are essential to ensure that ALL reported cases of bullying and harassment are dealt with fairly and equitably. Make sure to be consistent as well. Try to avoid situations where there is a rule for one individual / group, but another individual / group is exempt from criticism and investigation because they are too important or too valuable to the organization. Procedural fairness must be applied in all areas.
The complaint procedure is not trustworthy
Often times, the folks at Time will argue that there is no point in making a complaint, especially if it involves a member of the management / leadership team. People will lament and complain that the complaint will favor the status quo, invariably the manager. This is the wrong approach to take. Organizations are implementing anti-bullying and harassment policies because they want to remove bullies from the organization. Your rank or grade should be irrelevant. Organizations must ensure that all complaints made are taken seriously and investigated fairly and impartially. Don’t worry about how long the investigation will take to complete, the more thorough the investigation, the more likely there will be a satisfactory resolution. Don’t be picky about witnesses; talk to everyone involved. This will ensure that you achieve procedural balance and fairness. Consider publicly recording the number of incidents reported each month and stating how many cases have been resolved and how many are still ongoing. You may also want to consider making “Bullying and Harassment” a permanent item on the agenda at the management meeting and on OSH forums.
Differentiate cultural values about what is acceptable behavior.
It is true that in some workplaces you will find people who may have originally come from authoritarian countries where racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of inappropriate behavior were openly tolerated. In fact, in many countries basic human rights are still denied and certain cultures will legally allow you to discriminate against women, homosexuals and other minorities. This can be quite difficult for people who move to a more “liberal” work environment. It is the responsibility of the organization to ensure that it properly inducts all new staff members and that there is a focus on bullying, harassment and discrimination during induction. Regular training sessions are also an effective way to ensure that all employees are kept up-to-date on any changes in policy or legislation. You don’t have to ram their necks, but you do need to stay ‘on the message’ and remind all employees that you take bad behavior seriously.
Different “cultural” values can also be applied to people who have worked in radically different organizations. Traditionally, there are some areas of the industry that have been associated with the perpetuation of a culture of bullying. Examples here could include the health sector, the police, and the military. The latter, indeed, has often been associated with the acceptance of bullying behavior as a way of imposing discipline and “manning” new recruits. That philosophy may have been appropriate in the previous century. We are in the 21st century and we have witnessed a radical change in public opinion. Now not only is it considered old-fashioned to be a bully and a discriminator, but in many countries it is now illegal as well.
Feeling that bullying and harassment are a normal part of the workplace culture.
This is probably the most challenging dilemma for any organization, regardless of size or status. There are still many organizations that tolerate, in fact, tolerate most forms of bad behavior. Sometimes you will even notice it when you visit another organization. Your instincts suggest that all is not well in this particular place. In all likelihood there has been no education regarding misconduct. There will almost certainly be no policies or procedures related to inappropriate behavior. You can also probably ensure that the leadership team will not take bullying and harassment issues seriously. You will probably witness bad behavior at every level in this organization. My advice to any organization that does nothing to address bad behavior, in this more enlightened age, do nothing and it will be detrimental to the entire organization and destroy its reputation and credibility.
