The law around workplace violence and bullying is changing. Employers are now preparing to meet these new challenges. Are you?

Learn—don’t Litigate: You have new legal obligations— to weed out bullying in your workplace. This short article offers insight into the psychology of that process.
Recently, I watched while a small child and his dad demonstrated a powerful concept that I will incorporate into my training workshops effective immediately.

Here's what I saw: I live in the heart of the city and right in my backyard is an amazing public park where you are allowed to let your dog run "off-leash." This day, I had just come around the curve of a walking path when, all at once, I heard a dog growling angrily and saw a boy, about seven, stopped dead in his tracks. His dad was not far away and the dog was, literally, the same height as the kid! The dog was in motion but neither the boy nor the adult took one step once the dog started growling.

In an instant, and in response to the call of a nervous dog owner, the dog retreated and left the spot where the visibly shaken young boy was standing, quivering. What happened next was the amazing part of the experience.

The adult hugged the child and I heard him say:
• "It's okay.”
• “You did exactly the right thing.”
• “You didn't run, or hit the dog or make a lot of noise.”
• “You're going to be okay."
The man was focused on the child and not on the dog or its owner.

Ask yourself these questions:
• Are there bullies in your workplace?
• Do you have a plan to respond to victims of a workplace bully?
• Did the adult do the right thing in this scenario?
• Would you have acted differently?

Learn—don’t Litigate:
• Educate yourself on your new legal obligations.
• Review your policies for compliance with the new law.
• Arrange training for your managers and staff.

This article researched and written by Andrew Lawson, Human Rights expert. Andrew conducts training workshops on the prevention of workplace harassment, workplace violence and bullying in the workplace.
www.lawsonemploymentlaw.com
andrew@lawsonemployementlaw.com

416-534-3499
Information contained in this article is not legal advice. Always consult your own legal advisor.
Copyright Andrew Lawson 2009