Curb The Bully
A new guide has been published by Britains Chartered Management Institute to help organisations manage and address the impact of bullying at work.
Launched in association with the concillation service, Acas and trade union Unison -Bullying in the workplace guidence for managers- calls on organisations to monitor and deal with the problem of bullying because of the negative impact it has on health, self- esteem and organisational performance.
It also highlights the need for employers to be aware of the potential legal implications if they fail to identify, and act on, bullying.
The guide outlines the factors that contribute towards an organisational bullying culture and urges managers to be clear on the proceedures for dealing with complaints. It also calls on managers to put preventative -anti bullying- measures in place.
Recognising that bullying takes many forms, the guide tells managers to look out for signs such as intimidation, the misuse of power or overbearing supervision, undermining by overloading colleagues with to much work, constant criticism, blocking promotion or denying training and development opportunities.
Bullying is not MORALLY INDEFENSIBILE,it is an undermining influence on staff morale which,in turn adversely affevts an organisations performance, said Mary Chapman, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute.
It is imperitive that managers recognise their duty of care to their employees,both in their own behaviour and by developing the knowledge and policies which reduce the liklehood of bullying in the first place.
To communicate the message that bullying is unacceptable, the guide recomends developing clear and concise policies. Areas to consider including are:
A statement of commitment from senior management
Examples of unacceptable behaviour
Clear indications that bullying is a disciplinary offence
Appropriate details about procedures
Involvement of trade union and HSE representatives
Assurances that complaints will be dealt with confidentially.
Organisations need to bear in mind their culture and management style when developing a policy because setting a positive example goes hand-inhand with formal procedures.
However dealing solely with the concequences of bullying is not good enough- it wrongly focuses attention on individuals rather than the culture that has allowed the bullying to go on.
Victims of workplace bullying display similar psychological symptoms to soldiers who have experienced combat situations, according to research by psychologist Dr. Noreen Tehrani.
According to her reseach, one in five people who have experienced bullying at wirk exhibited the main symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
B.Nisbet on behalf of pilton sucks.com associates.