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

With one out of six people reporting being bullied at some time in their lifetime at work, it would make sense to think that most employees would not object to having a workplace bullying policy that can protect the respectful workplace they are hoping to be able to work within. Creating a policy would be most welcome. Creating a policy that employees buy into is your real concern.

We hope you enjoy Step 5: Creating Buy-In to Your Workplace Bullying Policy.

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

Consider:

1. When things are going well, a workplace bullying policy is easy to have around.
2. The question is: What do you do when things are not going well?
3. A lot of organizations do not have a system of accountability and sustainability in place (training your leadership and supervisory people on workplace bullying awareness, what to do if employees come to them and how to hold the bully accountable are key).
4. Know this as well: once awareness has been created, it is human nature to ignore conflict and to possibly turn a blind eye to a situation or to minimize it.  Managers have authoritative power and they must be coached and encouraged to ‘do the right thing in a timely way’.  There is never a wrong time to do the right thing!  Making your environment safe and welcoming is key to having managers stand for ‘the right thing’.
5. Openly ask employees: “What can I do to help create a respectful workplace?”  Listen, document, do!
6. Know that 3% of employees are superstar employees leading the respectful workplace charge.  They are poster children.  Know who they are, decide why you’ve chosen them, ask for their help.  Tell them you need their example and reward it.
7. Know that 20% of employees will ‘want to’ do the right thing.  They need encouragement to move through tougher conflict situations and they too can be role models.
8. Also know that 50% of employees are ‘waiting to see what to do’.  They are neutral and will either follow great leadership if it is there or follow negative, non-productive leadership if that is stronger.
9. And 20% of employees are very difficult and need consequences.  If held accountable in a timely way, this group will think difficult behaviors, but they will curb acting difficult… they will be on their best behavior!
10. Lastly, about 3% of employees are true bullies, where they will target an individual.  If you do not have strong enforcement of your policies (backbone), this will feel like a much higher number.

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 solid buy-in process to help with prevention.

You know the saying: “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”  Take a stand, reward the respectful performers and ask for their help.  Do not ignore or put off anything.

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