Managing Bullying in the Workplace

As part of European Safety Week, the HSA and the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre at DCU will host a half day seminar, on Tuesday 14th October, on managing bullying in the workplace.

Workplace bullying is not an easy concept to understand, despite what we think we know.  The workplace is a dynamic, complex system where change is everywhere and people relate on different levels and in different ways with different styles.

According to the HSA (2007), workplace bullying is defined as:

 "repeated inappropriate behaviour, director or indirect, whether verbal, physical or otherwise, conducted by one or more persons against another or others, at the place of work and/or in the course of employment, which could reasonably be regarded as undermining the individual’s right to dignity at work.”

The Seminar will give practice guidance on a wide range of areas:

• Conflict awareness

• First response to a bullying complaint

• Records which should be kept - and not kept

• Escalating serious complaints to investigation - what criteria to use

• Terms of reference for investigations

• What the HSA/Courts will look for from employing organisations

• The underlying psychological mechanisms of change where conflict remains

The conference is jointly organised by Genevieve Murray who leads workplace bullying projects at the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre at DCU.  She has completed a PhD on workplace bullying and is a Certified Mediator, specialising in workplace/organisational disputes.  She is a member of the International Association on Harassment and of the Mediators Institute of Ireland.

Genevieve will be joined by Patricia Murray, Organisational Psychologist at the Health & Safety Authority.  Patricia develops programmes and standards for handling workplace stress and bullying, advising on human factors and workplace errors.  She also heads up the Irish participation in the EU Joint Action targeting mental health at work across the EU.

This event will be of interest to HR managers, CEOs, company directors, lawyers, healthcare professionals, social workers, teachers, safety officers, managers, supervisors and members of the public interested in bullying.

Members of the Law Society of Ireland who attend the conference will qualify for Continuous Professional Development points.  The conference is further approved by An Bord Altranais for Category 1 post-registration continuing education.

The conference will take place in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 2 from 9:00am until 1:30pm.  For further details and online registration, visit www.workbullying.ie.