Workplace Violence Instructor Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ..............................................................................................................................................5 What is Courseware? ................................................................................................................................ 5 How Do I Customize My Course? .............................................................................................................. 5 Materials Required ................................................................................................................................... 7 Maximizing Your Training Power .............................................................................................................. 7 Module One: Getting Started .............................................................................................................9 Housekeeping Items.................................................................................................................................. 9 The Parking Lot ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Workshop Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 10 Pre-Assignment Review .......................................................................................................................... 11 Action Plans and Evaluation Forms ........................................................................................................ 11 Module Two: What Is Workplace Harassment? ................................................................................. 12 How to Identify ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Costs to Your Business ............................................................................................................................ 13 Legal ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 Psychological .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Module Two: Review Questions.............................................................................................................. 15 Module Three: Identifying the Bully ................................................................................................. 16 Abusive Workplace Behaviors................................................................................................................. 16 Bullying and Personality Disorders ......................................................................................................... 18 Narcissism ............................................................................................................................................... 19 Module Three: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 21 Module Four: How to Handle Workplace Violence ............................................................................ 23 Types of Behavior.................................................................................................................................... 23
Target the Behavior, Not the Person ...................................................................................................... 24 Implement an Action Plan ...................................................................................................................... 25 Module Four: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 27 Module Five: Risk Assessment (I) ...................................................................................................... 28 Understanding Anger and Aggression .................................................................................................... 28 Defusing & De-escalating Strategies ...................................................................................................... 29 Communication Skills .............................................................................................................................. 30 Tactical Options ...................................................................................................................................... 31 Module Five: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 32 Module Six: Risk Assessment (II)....................................................................................................... 33 Identifying the Hazard ............................................................................................................................ 33 Assessing the Risk ................................................................................................................................... 34 Controlling the Risk ................................................................................................................................. 35 Evaluating & Review ............................................................................................................................... 35 Module Six: Review Questions ................................................................................................................ 37 Module Seven: Being the Victim ....................................................................................................... 38 What is Not Considered Bullying ............................................................................................................ 38 Steps to Take........................................................................................................................................... 39 Module Seven: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 41 Module Eight: Checklist for Employers .............................................................................................. 42 4 Step Process ......................................................................................................................................... 42 Addressing All Employees ....................................................................................................................... 43 Addressing All Employees ....................................................................................................................... 43 Code of Ethics ......................................................................................................................................... 44 Policy and Procedures ............................................................................................................................. 45 Module Eight: Review Questions ............................................................................................................ 47
Module Nine: Interview Process ....................................................................................................... 48 Identify a Bully in the Interview Process ................................................................................................. 48 Warning Signs ......................................................................................................................................... 49 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 50 Module Nine: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 51 Module Ten: Investigation Process ................................................................................................... 52 Advising Your Supervisor ........................................................................................................................ 52 Lodging the Complaint............................................................................................................................ 53 Initial Response ....................................................................................................................................... 54 The Investigation .................................................................................................................................... 55 The Findings ............................................................................................................................................ 56 Review & Closure .................................................................................................................................... 57 Module Ten: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 58 Module Eleven: Developing a Workplace Harassment Policy ............................................................. 59 Scope and Philosophy ............................................................................................................................. 59 Principles ................................................................................................................................................. 60 Intent ...................................................................................................................................................... 61 Options.................................................................................................................................................... 62 Informal Complaint Process .................................................................................................................... 62 Formal Investigation Process .................................................................................................................. 63 Module Eleven: Review Questions .......................................................................................................... 65 Module Twelve: Wrapping Up .......................................................................................................... 66 Words from the Wise .............................................................................................................................. 66 Review of Parking Lot ............................................................................................................................. 66 Lessons Learned ...................................................................................................................................... 66 Completion of Action Plans and Evaluations .......................................................................................... 67
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Chinese Proverb Preface What is Courseware? Welcome to Courseware.com, a completely new training experience! Our courseware packages offer you top-quality training materials that are customizable, user-friendly, educational, and fun. We provide your materials, materials for the student, PowerPoint slides, and a takehome reference sheet for the student. You simply need to prepare and train! Best of all, our courseware packages are created in Microsoft Office and can be opened using any version of Word and PowerPoint. (Most other word processing and presentation programs support these formats, too.) This means that you can customize the content, add your logo, change the color scheme, and easily print and e-mail training materials.
How Do I Customize My Course? Customizing your course is easy. To edit text, just click and type as you would with any document. This is particularly convenient if you want to add customized statistics for your region, special examples for your participants’ industry, or additional information. You can, of course, also use all of your word processor’s other features, including text formatting and editing tools (such as cutting and pasting). To remove modules, simply select the text and press Delete on your keyboard. Then, navigate to the Table of Contents, right-click, and click Update Field. You may see a dialog box; if so, click “Update entire table” and press OK.
(You will also want to perform this step if you add modules or move them around.)
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If you want to change the way text looks, you can format any piece of text any way you want. However, to make it easy, we have used styles so that you can update all the text at once. If you are using Word 97 to 2003, start by clicking the Format menu followed by Styles and Formatting. In Word 2007 and 2010 under the Home tab, right-click on your chosen style and click Modify. That will then produce the Modify Style options window where you can set your preferred style options. For example, if we wanted to change our Heading 1 style, used for Module Titles, this is what we would do:
Now, we can change our formatting and it will apply to all the headings in the document. For more information on making Word work for you, please refer to Word 2007 or 2010 Essentials by Courseware.com.
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Materials Required All of our courses use flip chart paper and markers extensively. (If you prefer, you can use a whiteboard or chalkboard instead.) We recommend that each participant have a copy of the Training Manual, and that you review each module before training to ensure you have any special materials required. Worksheets and handouts are included within a separate activities folder and can be reproduced and used where indicated. If you would like to save paper, these worksheets are easily transferrable to a flip chart paper format, instead of having individual worksheets. We recommend these additional materials for all workshops:
Laptop with projector, for PowerPoint slides
Quick Reference Sheets for students to take home
Timer or watch (separate from your laptop)
Masking tape
Blank paper
Maximizing Your Training Power We have just one more thing for you before you get started. Our company is built for trainers, by trainers, so we thought we would share some of our tips with you, to help you create an engaging, unforgettable experience for your participants.
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Make it customized. By tailoring each course to your participants, you will find that your results will increase a thousand-fold.
Use examples, case studies, and stories that are relevant to the group.
Identify whether your participants are strangers or whether they work together. Tailor your approach appropriately.
Different people learn in different ways, so use different types of activities to balance it all out. (For example, some people learn by reading, while others learn by talking about it, while still others need a hands-on approach. For more information, we suggest Experiential Learning by David Kolb.)
Make it fun and interactive. Most people do not enjoy sitting and listening to someone else talk for hours at a time. Make use of the tips in this book and your own experience to keep your
participants engaged. Mix up the activities to include individual work, small group work, large group discussions, and mini-lectures. 
Make it relevant. Participants are much more receptive to learning if they understand why they are learning it and how they can apply it in their daily lives. Most importantly, they want to know how it will benefit them and make their lives easier. Take every opportunity to tie what you are teaching back to real life.
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Keep an open mind. Many trainers find that they learn something each time they teach a workshop. If you go into a training session with that attitude, you will find that there can be an amazing two-way flow of information between the trainer and trainees. Enjoy it, learn from it, and make the most of it in your workshops.
And now, time for the training!
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I’m not concerned with you liking me or disliking me. All I ask is that you respect me as a human being. Jackie Robinson Module One: Getting Started Workplace harassment is illegal and destructive to any organization. It is important to treat everyone in the workplace with respect and dignity. Workplace harassment must be identified, discouraged, and prevented in order to keep a hostile work environment from developing. Left unchecked, harassment can escalate into violence. Workplace harassment training is essential to the welfare of all businesses and their employees. Allowing workplace harassment to continue will cause legal problems while destroying company morale. Many people are uncertain about what constitutes harassment, and they are confused when their actions are pointed out as demeaning. Legally, harassment is any word, gesture, or action that offends people or makes them feel uncomfortable or intimidated. You never know how sensitive people are, so never say or do anything if you are not sure how it will be received.
Housekeeping Items Take a few moments to cover basic housekeeping items.
If you need an opening or a way to introduce the participants to each other, utilize the Icebreakers folder to begin or between breaks during the day.
Let participants know where they can find washrooms, break facilities, and fire exits.
Ask participants to turn off their cell phones or at least turn them to vibrate. If they must take a call, request that they do it outside.
Take this time to encourage the group to ask questions and make this an interactive workshop.
Write the words Respect, Confidentiality, and Practice on a piece of flip chart paper and tape it to the wall. Explain to participants that in order to get the most out of this workshop, we must all work together, listen to each other, explore new ideas, and make mistakes. After all, that’s how we learn!
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The Parking Lot Explain the concept of The Parking Lot to participants.
The Parking Lot is a visible place where you will “park” ideas that arise which are not on the agenda, may be off topic, or are better addressed outside of the program.
At the end of the session, we will review parked ideas and follow up, or make suggestions for your own investigation when you are back at work.
Suggestions for the trainer: 1. If you are working with a large group of participants, you may wish to nominate a recorder to park items as you are facilitating. 2. It’s a good idea to note the name of the contributor along with the parked item. 3. Items noted on the parking lot can be useful to you later as you plan future training sessions.
Workshop Objectives Research has consistently demonstrated that when clear goals are associated with learning, it occurs more easily and rapidly. At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:
Define workplace harassment.
Understand bullies and how to avoid hiring them.
Create a risk assessment and understand how to handle violence.
Recognize social and business responsibility.
Develop relevant policies and procedures.
Learn how to investigate complaints.
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Pre-Assignment Review The purpose of the Pre-Assignment is to get participants thinking about their current thoughts and feelings on Workplace Violence. You will also find a PreAssignment handout in the Activities folder. Think of a fictional event where you suspect a co-worker may become violent against another co-worker. This event will have two scenarios: 1) Informing a supervisor. 2) Not getting involved and ignoring it. List a possible outcome for each scenario. 1. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
Action Plans and Evaluation Forms Pass out the participant action plans and course evaluation forms. They are located in the activities folder. Ask participants to fill these out throughout the day as they learn new things and have ideas on how to incorporate the things we discuss into their lives. The action plan uses the SMART system. This means that your goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. .
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Being brilliant is no great feat if you respect nothing.
Goethe Module Two: What Is Workplace Harassment? Allowing workplace harassment to continue will cause legal problems while destroying company morale. Many people are uncertain about what constitutes harassment, and they are confused when their actions are pointed out as demeaning. Legally, harassment is any word, gesture, or action that offends people or makes them feel uncomfortable or intimidated. You never know how sensitive people are, so never say or do anything if you are not sure how it will be received.
How to Identify There are many ways to harass co-workers or employees. The rights of all citizens are legally protected, regardless of sex, age, health, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, or beliefs. Harassment occurs when someone from a one group feels discriminated against by another. Be careful, and remember that you never know what people are feeling or thinking. It is possible to accidentally offend those who work with you. 
Physical Harassment: This includes gestures, actions, and contact that can be sexual or threatening. Even well meant gestures like a hug constitute harassment if they make a person uncomfortable. Do not touch people at work or invade their personal space.
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Emotional Harassment: Threats, comments, degrading tones, and jokes are all workplace harassment. Avoid volatile subjects, and consider the ramifications of different jokes.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Introduce business workplace harassment and what it is.
Topic Summary
How to identify This exercise gives participants the opportunity to consider what constitutes
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harassment. Materials Required
Worksheet One: What is Harassment?
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Complete the worksheet individually. Break into small groups and discuss your answers. Reunite with the class and review the topic.
Stories to Share
Explain that everyone can be harassed, and harassment is not a thing of the past. Provide a personal story or share the fact that teenagers are more likely to be harassed at work than they are by strangers. http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/508/index.html
Delivery Tips
Skip the large group conversation or the small group discussion if you need more time.
Review Questions
What is harassment?
Costs to Your Business Harassment costs businesses millions every year. Many laws allow people to sue their companies for workplace harassment. Failing to protect employees can result in a high price to pay. Not only are there litigation fees, but psychological ramifications cost businesses as well. The cost to your business is not always monetary, it can cost reputation. A company losing its reputation can have an effect on many aspects of business. The company may lose customers, valuable employees, and not attract prospective new hires.
Legal Legal fees are a costly factor for businesses that face harassment charges. Companies are responsible for protecting their employees from managers, co-workers, vendors, and clients. Sexual harassment is the responsibility of the company when it is quid pro quo, which means that the sexual favors are exchanged for jobs, promotions, or raises. Businesses are also responsible if they are known to promote a hostile work environment. A hostile work environment occurs when management does nothing to prevent harassment. In a legal battle, employers must prove that they used "reasonable care" to prevent and address harassment issues.
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Psychological Harassment and bullying take a psychological toll on everyone in the workplace. A survey from the American Psychological Association revealed that 74 percent of Americans believe that work causes most of their stress. The stress from harassment can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and sleeplessness. Harassment, particularly sexual harassment, is linked to post traumatic stress disorder. Companies lose money in sick days, poor commitment, low productivity, and turnover when workplace harassment is not prevented and addressed immediately.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Outline the many ways that harassment costs companies. Cost to Your Business
Topic Summary Reinforce the cost of harassment. Materials Required
Worksheet Two: Costs
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Complete the worksheet individually. Break into small groups and compare your answers. Discuss the topic as a class. Share information about a recent harassment lawsuit such as the one against the city of Dallas that cost $1.4 million.
Stories to Share http://www.illinoissexualharassmentattorneyblog.com/2010/10/cost_of_defen ding_a_sexual_har.html
Delivery Tips
You can skip the small group discussion to save time. Point out that the exercise does not cover any potential legal fees that would arise if the women sued.
Review Questions
What are the psychological costs of harassment?
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Module Two: Review Questions 1. Is it possible to offend someone accidently? a) Yes b) No 2. Harassment can only cost businesses money? a) False b) True 3. Which is a negative result that can happen because of harassment? a) b) c) d)
Monetary loss Legal trouble Psychological damage All of the above
4. Stress from harassment can cause what to happen? a) b) c) d)
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Sick day usage going up Lower productivity Employee turnover All of the above
Men are respectable only as they respect. Ralph Waldo Emerson Module Three: Identifying the Bully Bullying is not limited to the playground, and ignoring bullies will not make them leave you alone. Bullies are a growing problem in the workplace. Those who bully others do so with malicious intent. Unlike other harassment issues, bullies know that they are being cruel. Only 20 percent of bullying is considered illegal harassment because 80 percent of bullies do not harass people in other groups. In fact, 71 percent of bullies are women who target other women.
Abusive Workplace Behaviors Bullies often target high performing employees and attempt to destroy them out of fear or jealousy. They manipulate using fear, and will often turn other employees against their target. Bullying has the same results as other harassment practices. Managers are often guilty of bullying their employees.
Bullying Behavior:
Continually changing job parameters
Spreading gossip and rumors
Creating impossible standards or deadlines
Isolating an individual
Threats of job loss
Spying on or stalking a target
Yelling at a target who is not permitted to yell back
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Belittling or disregarding opinions and feelings
Preventing promotions and transfers
Intruding in a person’s workspace or belongings
Misinforming the target.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Identify the behavior of bullies and abuse at work. Abusive Workplace Behavior
Topic Summary Recognize the behavior of bullies and why they are so pervasive. Materials Required
Handout One: Bullying
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Break into pairs and follow the directions for the role-playing exercise. Share your observations with the class.
Stories to Share
Explain that over 70 percent of those who are being bullied leave their jobs to escape the torment. Companies with high turnover indicate a culture of bullying.
Delivery Tips
You may want to share a personal story of bullying or allow some participants to share their own stories.
Review Questions
What are two signs of bullying behavior?
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Bullying and Personality Disorders Many bullies have personality disorders such as antisocial personality disorder and narcissism. Having a personality disorder is not an excuse to behave badly. Some bullies with personality disorders are not aware of their actions, but others choose to manipulate the people around them. Serial bullies were often bullies in school, and they usually have fake personas to hide their cruelty from the people they want to manipulate. Antisocial Personality Disorder Those diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder are over 18 and have shown conduct disorders before they were 15. Indicators:
Not conforming to social customs or laws
Consistently being deceitful (may use more than one identity)
Impulsive and irresponsible (will usually have credit problems)
Irritable and unable to empathize.
Disregards personal safety and the safety of others
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Explain the connection between personality disorders and bullying. Bullying and Personality Disorders
Topic Summary Use the exercise to help identify serial bullies. Materials Required
Worksheet Three: Personality Disorders
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Complete the worksheet individually and discuss your answers with the small group. Review as a class.
Stories to Share
Explain that antisocial personality disorder can lead to other problems if left untreated. Those with the disorder are often charming, and many cult leaders suffer from the condition.
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http://www.medicinenet.com/antisocial_personality_disorder/page4.htm Delivery Tips
Skip the small group or large group discussion to save time.
Review Questions
Do personality disorders excuse bullying?
Narcissism Many bullies show the characteristics of narcissistic personality disorder. This is more common than other personality disorders. They overcompensate for their lack of confidence with a grandiose, self-important view. Narcissists think highly of themselves, need attention, and lack empathy. There are nine indicators of narcissism. A diagnosis requires five of the nine criteria.
Arrogance
Fantasies that revolve around power, success, beauty, or love
Are sure that only a few elite can understand them
Need to be appreciated and admired
Feels entitled and demands that people comply with their whims
Exploit people around them
Cannot empathize with others
Are jealous of others and believe others are jealous of them
Have a self-important attitude
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Understand the criteria associated with narcissism. Narcissism
Topic Summary Define narcissistic personality disorder. Materials Required
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Worksheet Four: Narcissism
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Complete the exercise individually. Discuss the exercise as a group, and review as a class. You may want to share the myth of Narcissus.
Stories to Share http://thanasis.com/echo.htm Delivery Tips
Skip either the small or large group discussion if time is running short.
Review Questions
What are the indicators of narcissism?
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Module Three: Review Questions 1. What percentage of bullying is considered illegal? a) b) c) d)
10% 20% 50% 100%
2. Bullies mainly use what to manipulate their targets? a) b) c) d)
Money The internet Words Fear
3. Bullies generally show what personality disorder? a) b) c) d)
Dependent personality disorder Avoidant personality disorder Anxious personality disorder Antisocial personality disorder
4. A person showing arrogance, a need to be appreciated, entitlement, jealousy, and have a self important attitude may be diagnosed with what? a) b) c) d)
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Narcissism Stockholm syndrome Blepharitis Micropsia
END OF FREE PREVIEW FULL WORKSHOP AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT:
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