Course tackles office bullying

By Alex Frazer-Harrison

We tend to think of bullies as tough kids in a schoolyard who pick on classmates. But bullying also occurs in the office, in the warehouse, and in the boardroom.

For example, a manager might yell at an employee in front of his or her colleagues, or threaten their job for no good reason, or shovel so much work on the person that it becomes impossible to do satisfactory work.

As part of efforts to raise awareness about workplace bullying, Continuing Education is offering a one-day Bullying in the Workplace seminar November 3 as part of its new Conflict Resolution certificate program.

“ We talk about bullying in the schools all the time, and schools are teaching kids that it’s wrong,” says program director Alison Toms (left). “But in the workplace it’s a form of harassment, and employers should be focused on creating a respectful workplace.”

Demand for the seminar is expected to be so high that it’s open to people who may not be taking other courses in the Conflict Resolution program.

Bullying is not yet covered by the same legislation that protects employees against sexual harassment or racial discrimination, says Patricia Ferris, a PhD student in the Department of Industrial Organizational Psychology, who has spent 10 years educating businesses about workplace bullying. Research has shown that as many as 70 percent of employees experience some form of “negative social behaviour.

“ In the past, the employee was told to change themselves or seek counselling,” she says. “It’s only recently that corporations are realizing they have to deal with this.”

The Conflict Resolution course, including the Bullying in the Workplace seminar, is offered in partnership with the Centre for Conflict Resolution at the Justice Institute of British Columbia.

Kent Highnam, coordinator of customized training, will teach the seminar.
“ The seminar looks at exactly what is bullying,” says Highnam. “What are the behaviours? What might be the motivations? We look at who the victims might be. What is the impact of bullying on them?”

Highnam says being able to identify bullying is a major step in a company improving the atmosphere of the workplace.

“ We don’t want to beat up on managers or administration,” he says. “It’s difficult to formulate a response to something so insidious. Co-workers bully each other, and there can be bullying up (against management).”

Toms says the seminar is open to anyone interested in creating healthy workplaces.

For more information about the seminar, visit www.cted.ucalgary.ca/professionaldesignations or call 220-2877.