January 23, 2007

Early Intervention? What Early Intervention?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Literature on effective interventions to prevent a...":

The whole issue of intervention is so amazingly undeveloped - just today I saw a press release via CCN Matthews ("news distribution experts") saying "Amicus, with the support of the DTI, is running the world's biggest anti-bullying project - a new website for advice on how to deal with bullying in the workplace" co-sponsored by the DTI. Yet on searching for the new DignityAtWork website - omitted by the news experts - there is no mention of intervention!

(http://www.ccnmatthews.com/news/releases/show.jsp?action
=showRelease&actionFor=631523

and
http://www.dignityatwork.org/default.htm)


Interventions I have seen mentioned by those affected by bullying include

1) (externally audited) statistical monitoring,

2) acceptance of a uniform definition of bullying,

3) exit interviews to determine why staff are leaving,

4) emotional intelligence screening,

5) support of the target in situ (i.e. any intervention must impact the bully, not the target),

6) state appointment of an external reviewer of bullying cases (or an approved mechanism for third-party review).

----------------------------
Thank you Anonymous :)

- Certainly the AMICUS definition of workplace bullying is a bit too narrow.

- From the Dignity at Work site:

Aims

To encourage employee representatives and employers to build cultures in which respect for individuals is regarded as an essential part of the conduct of all those who work in the organisation. The project will also increase awareness and knowledge of 'dignity at work' issues, and encourage the development of partnership working in the workplace through the promotion of joint working on dignity at work.

Their aim is to 'encourage', not impose, not monitor and not police, just encourage...

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