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Self-help checklist - anti-harassment strategies

anti-harassment strategies

• Is there an acceptance by senior management that harassment, including bullying, does take place in every organisation, and therefore yours?

• Does the department\'s anti-harassment policy or code of conduct include a statement of zero tolerance to harassment?

• Is any anti-harassment or anti-bullying policy seen as an organisational rather than just a human resources initiative?

• Has the policy been endorsed specifically, and publicly, by the chief executive and by senior management?

• Is your department one where clients or members of the public may harass or bully your staff? If so, are there procedures in place for dealing with this and maximizing your staff safety?  

• Is the anti-harassment policy actively disseminated, and by means other than circulars - e.g. posters, staff seminars, leaflets, videos?

• What means are used to ensure that policies are actively read, absorbed, "taken on board" - e.g. not just posted on the Intranet?

• Is the policy backed up by training for all staff, including managers?

• In particular, are such issues included in induction training?

• Are there contact people in place whom complainants can safely approach?

• What training do those contact people have?

• If the organisation is a male-dominated one numerically or culturally, are there women contact people appointed for women staff to approach?

• Are there Maori, Pacific and Asian contact people appointed, if the staff population mix justifies that?

• Is there a process of support for those contact people?

• Are there processes of support for the complainant and also for the alleged harasser/bully?

• Are there processes of support for witnesses and colleagues of the complainant?

• Are the complaints procedures well publicised, in languages and formats that are accessible to all staff, including new New Zealanders and people with disabilities?

• Does the policy state "no retaliation" for complainants? How is non-retaliation ensured?

• Is there monitoring of complaints, to assess levels of harassment in the organisation and to check whether incidence is lessening?

• Is there follow-up support for all involved in any complaint, after the investigation is over?

• Are managers getting training in "soft" people skills?

• Does the department\'s health and safety policy view harassment/bullying as a "workplace hazard"?

• Has there been an examination of exit interviews, staff turnover statistics, complaints, etc, to monitor whether harassment and/or bullying is taking place?

• Are the department\'s managers trained in undertaking appraisals and giving performance feedback?