Defining and Supporting a Culture
of Respect at Western and in Our
Unit
AGENDA
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Welcome
Background
Purpose of Today
Initial Thoughts
Some facts on Bullying
Features of a Respectful Workplace
The Face of Disrespect
Next Steps for Us
Leaders’ Forum
Background
Best student experience.
Best employee experience.
Leaders’ Forum
Defining and Supporting a Culture of
Respect
We seek to sustain and enhance “a culture
focused on achievement, development,
teamwork, and collegial relations: a
culture of deep respect that actively
values the contribution of all roles, invites
open inquiry, celebrates diverse talents
and backgrounds, and supports development, recognition, and fulfillment for each
person.”
Engaging the Future, 2006
Leaders’ Forum
Defining and Supporting a Culture of
Respect
Leaders’ Forum November 15, 2007
see notes from the Forum at
Leaders’ Forum
Equity& Human Right Services (EHRS)
Western Statistics
May 1, 2006 - April 30, 2007
286 Consultations (for guidance on issues
such as general harassment, sexual
harassment, racial harassment or other
areas)
15 New Formal Complaints
Leaders’ Forum
Workplace Bullying
The Workplace Bullying and Trauma Insitute
(Gary Namie)
Bullying should never be brushed off as a
personality clash (Namie 2003)
• 3X more prevalent than sexual harassment
• targets endure for almost two years before filing a
complaint
• only 13% of bullies are punished or terminated
• often invisible and occurs behind closed doors
• when witnessed, team members usually side with
the bully
Leaders’ Forum
Workplace Bullying
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81% of bullies are in supervisory roles
58% of bullies are female
84% of bullied employees are female
21% of all workers have been targeted by
bullies
(USA studies: Brunner & Costello, 2003, and
Namie, 2003):
Leaders’ Forum
Purpose
• To begin to build consensus around the kind
of workplace we all want to have
• To agree on ways to share resources and
relate to each other so we can all be
productive and enjoy our work.
Leaders’ Forum
Initial Conversation
• In groups of four, take 5 minutes to discuss
– When I’m interacting with a person, I really it
like it when…
– The most courteous treatment I’ve experienced
recently is…
Leaders’ Forum
A Respectful Workplace
In new groups of four, take 5 minutes to
record your thoughts on:
Features of a really respectful workplace…
Leaders’ Forum
The Face of Disrespect
At your tables:
Take a minute to consider, silently, some
behaviours you believe are “outside the limits
of respect” because they
- Signal disrespect for others
- Undermine confident, productivity,
reputation
- Involve misuse of power
- Erode others’ well-being
Leaders’ Forum
The Face of Disrespect
• In same groups of four, take 10 minutes to
discuss
– Examples of behaviour that are outside the
limits of respect and that I find distressing,
even de-motivating
– What I tend to do if someone treats me rudely
or aggressively is…
Leaders’ Forum
The Face of Disrespect
• In new groups of four, take 10 minutes to discuss
- Why these behaviours arise and persist
– The impact on the victim of such behaviour
– Some wise ways to respond to and stop this
kind of behaviour are…
Leaders’ Forum
Next Steps
In new groups of 4, take 5 minutes to discuss
and record:
1.How I can personally contribute to a
respectful environment…
2. Some “next steps” we can take, as a
group, to prevent bullying behaviour and
foster a respectful work environment…
Leaders’ Forum
Thank You
“What you permit, you promote.”
Leaders at Western have decided to step up
and “call” those behaviours their teams have
said they don’t want to see or promote and to
appreciate the daily acts of courtesy and
civility that do make this University a great
place to work, learn, and live.
Leaders’ Forum