CareerBuilder reported in 2011 that 1 in 4 people are bullied at work.

Workplace bullying is defined as unwanted and recurring negative and abusive acts aimed at one or more individual. Bullies use an extended list of behaviors that include, but are certainly not limited to, yelling, silent treatment, aggressive communication, undue and extreme criticism, uber-excessive and unnecessary micromanagement, assigning tasks above or below competence levels to thwart production, giving impossible deadlines, punitive disciplinary actions, withholding information needed to do one’s job, and spreading rumors.

Targets experience an array of psychologically damaging consequences including distress, humiliation, anger, anxiety, discouragement, hopelessness, depression, burnout, and lower job satisfaction.

Of course, all of this decreases your bottom line – it is estimated American business spend up to $6 billion annually ($100,000 per bully in the organization) in turnover, absenteeism, presenteeism, low quality work and reduced work product, decreased company loyalty, development of a hostile workplace culture, communication breakdown, bad reputation within the community and industry, and workers compensation and litigation… to name only a few costly damages.

This course is highly interactive, and includes a workbook, activities and assessments.

Audience

The company-wide program should include all employees, staff, managers, supervisors, trainers, human resources department, employee assistance professional (EAP), union representatives, and decision-makers.

It is recommended that this program be offered in conjunction with the manager/supervisor training program in order to ensure it is successful (i.e., results in a positive change in workplace behaviors).

Course Format

This course is four hours.

Description

This workshop is company-wide and is therefore designed to reach a variety of employees working within your organization by addressing bullying from several angles.

The workshop will provide information for those who feel targeted by bullies by offering assertiveness skills, and those who are identified as bullies by providing positive communication skills. The workshop also addresses outsiders, or bystanders to the bullying, by creating awareness about the importance of standing up for each other.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Gain a general understanding of the process of interpersonal communication and how perception plays a role in interactions with others
• Define workplace bullying and identify bullying behaviors within themselves and their co-workers
• Develop knowledge in the damage bullying causes the organization and how much it hurts peers
• Acquire comprehensive knowledge in the social system of bullying
• Practice the use of positive language over negative and insulting language
• Understand the three steps of assertiveness
• Understand the five conflict management styles, as well as their own conflict management style
• Describe successful conflict resolution strategies
• Walk away with a list of actions to take if they are feeling bullied
• Discuss guidelines for effective communication
• Reflect on their own communication skills and define an action plan for improvement
• Gain information about how to stand up for each other when they witness bullying

The workshop is very interactive and includes a workbook with assessments, activities and worksheets. Attendees will also take an aggressiveness assessment and a conflict style assessment during the course.

Workplace Bullying Resources

Whitepaper: The Cost of Your Workplace Bully (By Catherine Mattice, President, Civility Partners)

Whitepaper: The Costs of Workplace Bullying (By Sabir Giga, Helge Hoel and Duncun Lewis and funded by Dignity at Work Partnership)