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WORKPLACE BULLYING

RESPECT • CIVILITY • ACCOUNTABILITY

Workplace Bullying Policy: Purpose and Statement

What You Can Do To Create Your Template for a Bully Free at Work Workplace Bullying Policy:

Why is it someone has to get killed before the construction of a traffic light or stop sign? The same can be said for organizations in creating respectful workplaces (and being protective against workplace bullying). Why wait? You might want to also read Why Most Bullying Policies Don’t Work & What You Can Do.

Let us begin by looking at how you can take your first step toward creating Step 1: Your Bully Free at Work Workplace Bullying Policy: Purpose, Statement and Examples. Be sure to read through and begin implementing these ideas that have worked for organizations all over the world. (Feel free to pass this on to other people in your organization and ask them for their opinion).

Here are the Steps:

Step 1: Purpose, Statement and Examples
Step 2: Complaint – Resolution Process
Step 3: Taking Action for Top Results
Step 4: Consequences for Bullying Behavior
Step 5: Creating Buy-In to Your Workplace Bullying Policies

Step 1: Purpose, Statement and Examples

Purpose of Policy:

  1. Should describe whom the policy is for (all employees) and why it is needed; (to protect and maintain a respectful work culture).
  2. Must clearly reflect the values of the organization.

Policy Statement:

  1. Have a definition of workplace bullying allowing for a clear understanding of what it is and what it isn’t. For example, the definition of workplace bullying we use is:  “Workplace Bullying is repeated, deliberate, disrespectful behavior by one or more people toward another for their own gratification which harms the target.”
  2. Include your organization’s position.
  • “(Organization) is dedicated to ensuring a respectful workplace environment for all.”  
  • “(Organization) is committed to education, prevention and to an effective, timely resolution for all parties concerning workplace bullying and harassment.”
  • “We will not tolerate harassment or workplace bullying of any kind.” 
  • Include how such behavior hampers organizational productivity and negatively affects employee health and overall morale.  
  • Note: Workplace bullying is a form of harassment which needs its own definition. 
  • Harassment covers unwelcome verbal or physical conduct because of race, religious beliefs, color, place of origin, gender, mental or physical disability, ancestry, marital status,  sexual orientation, family status or source of income.

Examples: Indicate specific examples of workplace bullying behavior such as:

  • Verbal abuse
  • Exclusion
  • Unfairness
  • Lack of Clarity
  • A complete list of over 40 workplace bullying behaviors can be found in our book Bully Free At Work 
  • Acknowledge that this type of workplace bullying is not limited to the behaviors listed.

Note: If you are struggling here which many organizations do, feel free to contact us for consultation. We take a measure twice, cut once approach and have helped many organizations. Inform, educate, and internalize your workplace bullying and respectful workplace education program complete with with a step-by-step process to help with prevention.

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3 responses to “Workplace Bullying Policy: Purpose and Statement”

  1. […] Featured Article for March 9, 2010 March 9, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments What You Can Do To Create Your Template for a “Bully Free at Work” Workplace Bullying Policy! […]

  2. Gina says:

    what can i do when the supervisor knows what’s going on and she does nothing about it? i am a target of 6 people. they verbally humiliate me, make fun of me, treat me as if i don’t exist, they watch my every move, they try to be intimidating. one person starte this and she told the others to do not talk to me. that one person spread it thru out the work place. they always want to know my business so they can criticise and gossip. i didn’t go to work fri. feb.5,2010 cause it got to me so bad. i cried after work on thurs. because of all the crap that has been going on for 4yrs..if i do something about it again. it will get even worse than before. no matter what, still get abused. i know the rest of the dept doesn’t like me but they do talk to me. i am getting deeper and deeper depressed. i do take 3 medications for this.

  3. Dana Stone says:

    (I felt a need to get some of my angry, sad, frustrated feelings to the surface by writing a poem about my experience.)

    “The Target”

    Cringing at the awareness of her hand
    on my hand
    stopping me from sending an email.

    Feeling my heart stop
    when she prevented me from going to an
    seminar that would advance my career.

    Frustration, boredom, disbelief…
    Over wasting 2 hours for “training,”
    By an unqualified speaker, uncertified…
    (And the “training” was never put to use because that program was dropped.)

    Plato…
    would have never appealed
    to the students in our alternative school.

    Degraded, humiliated….
    Disrespected, expected…
    to do the impossible.
    Long meetings
    dominated by 3 women
    all clamoring for recognition
    just people wanting
    to hear themselves talk.
    Lost time
    with the physical therapist
    Lost time
    to take care of myself
    Feelings of being blocked, inertia..
    Memories of her shrill voice…
    Ridiculed my handicapped car tag…
    She thought I was just lazy.
    Saying I didn’t do “enough”…
    Telling me that I’m “in decline”…

    She was a toxic boss,
    harsh
    like the sound of fingernails on a chalk board…
    belligerant
    telling lies, spreading rumors

    I shiver at
    the sound of her shoes…
    her shoes
    padding
    down the hallway
    click, shuffle, click
    (little slip-ons with bows on them)
    caused dread in me…

    I should get down on…
    my knees and thank that God I’m out…
    I’m out, I’m out, I’m out…
    and I am not like her.

    But I must deal with the trauma…and heal, and be happy. This is my goal.

Valerie Cade, CSP is a Workplace Bullying Expert, Speaker and Author of "Bully Free at Work: What You Can Do To Stop Workplace Bullying Now!" which has been distributed in over 100 countries worldwide. For presentations and consulting on workplace bullying prevention and respectful workplace implementation, go to http://www.BullyFreeAtWork.com

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