How Rude! – Exploring Issues of Harassment and Bullying

We live in cultures in which harassment and mistreatment between people is becoming more insidious. Bullying is sometimes anonymous and often with disastrous short- and long-term consequences. Work sites may be held liable for mistreatment that occurs unchecked among their personnel, on and off the premises. We also know that a positive work climate contributes to increased attendance as well as greater productivity.

Format: The workshop consists of didactic presentations, experiential activities, and discussions/ processing. The structure of the workshop is based upon consultation with the sponsoring business or organization and is solution-focused, avoiding shame and blame. Participants use action exploration both to develop operational definitions of harassment and bullying and recognize the accompanying behaviors as well as to explore appropriate and effective intervention strategies.

Participants: This workshop can be adapted for staff groups, management, members of boards of directors or a combination.

Outcomes – Participants will be able to:

  • articulate an operational definitions of bullying and harassing behaviors;
  • describe organizational policy on the issue and consequences of inappropriate behavior;
  • list resources for support in dealing with these issues; and
  • perform appropriate and effective interventions for dealing with harassing and
    bullying behaviors as they occur.

Logistics: This training can be offered as a half-day (3-4 hour) or full-day workshop with 6-7 hours of workshop time that includes a lunch break. Start and end times are negotiable. Space needs include a room that is large enough to accommodate the people involved that has movable chairs with tables off to the side. We also need a blackboard or whiteboard and appropriate chalk/ markers.