Sample Anti-Bullying Policy?

Does anyone have an Anti-Bullying policy they would care to share?

Our firewall is tough to get through, so if you'll post your email address I can send you an email, then you can click on "reply" and attach your policy. I know it's a pain but I appreciate your help!!!

Comments

  • 26 Comments sorted by Votes Date Added
  • Ours is combined in our violence/weapons policy. If you would like a copy my address is [email]jasimon@joebrowncompany.com[/email].


  • It seems strange to have a policy specifically for "bullying". Wouldnt that behavior be covered in an anti-harassment policy?
  • We consider it to be such an important issue, we have it covered in both our sexual harassment anti-discrimination policy and our workplace violence/weapons policy. If the "picking on" escalates into acts or threats of physical violence to include threatening comments or gestures, even jokingly, we have a violation of 2 policies. Makes it harder for the employee to say, "I didn't know".
  • We have an Illegal Harassment policy, but that only covers protected classes. We're working on updates because of a few long-term employees who have gotten away with bullying co-workers or subordinates that aren't in protected classes. It's more ominous than what's covered under our "conduct unbecoming an employee in the employer's service or discourteous treatment of an employee or member of the public..."


  • Shhhhessshhhhh! Just what we need, another policy for the Policy Manual.

    Has anyone thought of sitting the old geezers down and reading them the riot act? Either you cease your petty crap or you will lose your job. Sounds like a plan to me.
  • [font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-24-07 AT 02:06PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Hey, you could get rid of most of your policy manual with two lines:

    "Cease your petty crap or you will lose your job. HR will determine what is petty and what is crap."

    Might work... probably won't.
  • Paul that wasn't the point. I think Supervisors and Department Managers in some companies shirk their managerial responsibilities and want HR to write a policy so they do not have to get involved in something that is uncomfortable.

    Eeeeewwwwww, you tell them. I do not want them to dislike me.
  • "....Supervisors and Department Managers in some companies shirk their managerial responsibilities and want HR to write a policy.."

    Woman, what distant planet did you come from? Supervisors & Dept. Managers asking for a policy?



  • Sorry. You are right. They are not asking for a policy. They just pass the problem on to HR to fix.


  • Guess the rest of this discussion should move over to HR har de har under PCB's what to call Human Resources thread. Are Mr. or Ms Fix-it taken?
  • I dont disagree with you that often managers and supervisors look to HR to do what they should do themselves.

    That said, I don't mind being indispensable. Call it job security.

    My point is, sometimes its better to write out a specific policy for something like bullying if its an issue at your workplace than just waiting until you have to chew somebody out.

    Maybe people ought to know better and behave better but don't hold your breath waiting for your employees to stop misbehaving.

    Human nature hasnt changed in thousands of years and I dont expect it will anytime soon.

    Plus, its a heck of a lot easier to chew someone out when you have a clear, specific policy in place and there is now way they can argue that they didnt know any better.

    Ok, tell me where I am wrong.
  • I don't know about you, but I am not running a high school or a recreation site for children. There are certain unwritten guidelines that adults need to follow to get along with their fellow man and/or workers.

    If you had to have a written policy for the obvious, then your Policy Manual would be the size of the Manhattan yellow pages. In case you don't know how big that is, ask Ray.

    Bullying another person is intimidation and if you feel you need a policy to tell the creep to cut that out, then do so. Along the way, someone needs to get some testicular fortitude.
  • Testicular fortitude??? That's nuts.
  • I agree whole-heartedly with the above posts. Whatever happened to common sense and good ol' manners?

    But this is more sinister than bad manners. The person we're dealing with is wiley and covert. She's careful not to attack her co-workers when management is around and loves to keep her victims off-guard by suddenly screaming at them for no good reason, undermining their competency to the public by asking how to complete a transaction, then arguing with them about the answer and telling the customer that she would never have made them do that. She also demeans and belittles them with only each other as witnesses.

    She has the chairman of the board in her hip-pocket and had the previous manager there as well. She assassinates everyone's character to those in power, and doesn't let the truth get in the way of a good assassination.

    We're just making sure to dot our i's and cross our t's.
  • Umm... she doesnt read this forum does she?

    Wow, it sounds like you have a fairly serious problem on your hands. I hate to be negative but I dont know that a policy will be enough to deal with this person.

    People like her are smart enough that they can retract the claws when the heat is on just long enough to stay out of any real trouble.

    But good luck. Personally, I might outsource her to Ritaanz.
  • Yes, she's been smart enough to stay out of any real trouble. What does Ritaanz do?
  • [font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-27-07 AT 06:11AM (CST)[/font][br][br]From the behaviors you've described, you've probably already got a half-dozen policies you could fire her under.

    It sounds like the real issue might be the perception that she has a teflon coating, and you're hoping to get a policy that is so tailor-made to her disruptive behavior, that senior management won't have a choice. In my experience, you're better off going to her protectors and explaining the situation. It would help if you had written statements from her victims, but since she is a bully they may be afraid of retaliation.

    If you try to create a policy that is specific to her behavior, it looks like you're out to get her. That won't go well with her peeps. By talking to senior management about her violation of current policies, you may be able to get them to accept partial ownership for allowing it to happen. You may also be able to get one of them to counsel her, if they truly do value her and want to avoid a showdown.

    Of course, pigs may fly out of my butt this morning also.

    The bottom line is this - from what you've described, she violates every respect and code of conduct policy I've ever seen. If, by some chance, you do have a toothless respect/conduct policy, fix that one before trying to create another.
  • Nevada HR, Ritaanz is a member of this forum and she can take care of your problem person for you if you know what I mean.
  • Ritaanz...you're hired!!!

    Thanks Paul! Do you charge a finder's fee?

    And ACU Frank, thanks for the LOL re: flying pigs, first thing on a Tuesday morning.

    Seriously though, I sincerely appreciate everyone's input. I hadn't even considered discussing the problem w/ the board chairperson. Maybe that will help...?
  • I wish Paul had discussed my services before offering them. I have been told that I am mellowing and some of my tactics are becoming mild and non-threatening. Oh, except where Paul is concerned.
  • I hate to think of what you did to that person who told you that....
  • We could ask them, but they haven't been seen in awhile.

    Hmmm....
  • Every time I see this thread I think of posting

    "Send me a copy of your bullying policy or I will kick your @#$%#!!!"
  • Couple suggestions:
    1) what are her employee retention stats?
    2) what is the turnover or transfers out of her dept./area?
    3) if you have specific examples and have talked to those who have experienced her "coaching" tactics first-hand would encourage you to bring in the chairman and have him listen to them

    If you choose option 3, would make sure that your Chairman or Chairwoman is open-minded and sensitive to the fact that it's intimidating to come forward with this information especially if the person they're complaining about is their boss and may remain their boss.

    Often folks in higher positions are used to working with others at their level or VP who are more comfortable with debate/disagreement and forget how hard it is for those without a title after their name to talk with someone at their level particularly if it's about a person the Chairman/woman is perceived to be pleased with their performance.
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