About
COURSE OBJECTIVE
Understand what is workplace bullying & harassment and how to deal with it correctly.
“Workplace bullying is an issue of increasing concern in New Zealand, costing businesses in terms of lost productivity, high staff turnover and increased legal costs. This seminar gives employers the tools to improve their workplace practices and culture, and deal appropriately with any allegations of bullying or harassment that may arise. We will also address empowering managers to deal with difficult staff issues without being accused of bullying.“
– Steph Dyhrberg
Bullying is an intricate issue and not always very straightforward as it can come in several guises. It can go unnoticed but is more often swept under the carpet until the debilitating effects are felt.
As New Zealand lacks a statutory definition of bullying and harassment, it is not uncommon to find managers who are dealing with poor performance to be accused of bullying and harassment. And conversely, genuine cases of bullying and harassment could be overlooked due to a lack of official definitions, policy and procedures.
Workplace Bullying and Harassment has been designed to help organisations develop practical and effective steps to prevent bullying and harassment as well as to draft a policy and procedures to enable complaints to be handled effectively.
To ensure both your staff and managers are protected from unwarranted behaviour or future claims based on negligence, Workplace Bullying and Harassment will delve into various case studies and discussions to give you a more comprehensive understanding of the legal and practical implications of bullying and harassment in the workplace.
Workplace Bullying and Harassment ensures that organisations have an established code of conduct, clear and effective policy and procedures in place to prevent or resolve a situation. A proactive approach to prevent a situation will save the business from a substantial amount of costs from award settlements.
COURSE APPROACH
Through discussing the issues and experiences with your contemporaries and course instructor, we believe you will gain maximum benefit from this course. Throughout the course, time has been allocated for general discussion and hands-on exercises allowing you to draft policies and procedures that are effective. You will pick up valuable tips from your course instructor and be able to manage complaints.
7 GREAT REASONS TO ATTEND
1. Define workplace bullying and harassment and scope of policy
2. Explore and understand relevant legislation and liabilities
3. Assess the effectiveness of your current (or upcoming)policy and procedure
4. Learn to get senior management buy-in
5. Be able to educate and protect managers from unfounded allegations
6. Get hands-on experience in developing effective policies and procedures
7. Understand how organisational culture may influence the situation and outcome
Outline
Day One
Overview of Workplace Bullying & Harassment in NZ
• What is workplace bullying/harassment?
• Exploring definitions of workplace bullying/harassment
• Workplace bullying vs. Performance management
• How to recognise workplace bullying
• Effects and costs of bullying on business
Relevant Legislation and Liability
• Human Rights Act, Section 62, Section 63 and Section 66
• Employment Relations Act 2000
• Protected Disclosures Act 2000
• HASIE Act
• Case Studies
Employer’s Obligations
• Conducting a confidential workplace survey to find out whether bullying is an issue?
• Assessing your workplace practices to ensure they comply with legislation
• Detailing support e.g. who to contact, the role of HR and management in the event of workplace bullying/harassment
Your Workplace
• How does your workplace handle bullying and harassment?
• If you have a policy and procedure, how effective is it?
• Brainstorming solutions
Day Two
Educating and Protecting Managers
• Getting senior management buy-in
• Ensuring senior management understand the policy and endorse it
• Providing comprehensive training for managers
• Encourage note taking and participation in relevant meetings
• Protecting managers from unfounded allegations
Policy & Procedure
• Evaluating the scope of a policy and who it covers
• Considerations of the policy which suits the organisation and workforce
• Finalising your organisation’s definition of workplace bullying/harassment
• Establishing clear and effective procedures
• Consider external investigation when necessary & how to properly brief the investigator
• Documenting policies and procedures to protect employees from bullying and to enable them to file a complaint
Drafting a Policy & Running a Procedure
• Best practice policies – drafting one or improving one
• Role-playing exercise: dealing with a complaint
• Recording outcomes
• Monitoring outcomes
Organisational Culture
How to:
• Encourage a proactive approach rather than reactive approaches to bullying and harassment
• Create a culture of accountability which enables staff to make complaints
• Recruit and appoint managers who are capable in their expertise and possess good people skills and emotional intelligence (EQ)
• Reassess and change the recruitment and criteria of managers if appropriate
Facilitator
Stephanie Dyhrberg
Stephanie Dyhrberg is a specialist in employment law practice who is passionate about helping clients to improve their workplace practices and avoid costly staff problems. When problems do arise, Stephanie undertakes mediations and appear in the Employment Relations Authority and the courts.
Prior to setting up her own practice, Stephanie has worked for Russell McVeagh, The Crown Law Office and most recently for human resources specialists Right Management Consultants (formerly Greene Hanson and The Empower Group). Her clients include government departments and other government agencies, companies, charities and individuals.
Stephanie Dyhrberg is also facilitating:
In-house Training
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