Hi All
I have posted something similar before and got some helpful responses. I am now in the throes of developing an awareness programme and would like some more genuine examples of what might or might not be perceived as bullying. I have quite a few of my own that I have seen over the years but would like to offer a broader range from different organisations.
So, I was wondering if people could have a think about their own experiences and let me have any examples of times they have seen/experienced/heard of behaviours and attitudes that the manager might consider is good performance management but the person on the receiving end might think is bullying. What I am planning is a quiz-based discussion on what is and isn't bullying behaviour, with the aim of drawing out that managers must manage performance effectively and can still ask/tell people what to do whilst acknowledging that the IMPACT of their behaviour is the measure, not the INTENT.
Hope that's clear??
Jenny
2 Responses
return to work interviews
Hi Jenny
The whole issue of sickness absence and return to work interviews is one which seems to polarise opinion. So:-
Asking someone who is off sick when they anticipate returning to work (by phone, text or email)
Asking someone who has been off sick, but is now returned, how ill they were, are they fully recovered, do they need support or even were they malingering!
Ditto anyone who has had to take compassionate leave due to sickness or death in the family (When my sister passed away and I requested a day off to go to her funeral my boss’s immediate reactions was, "Do you really need to go? I didn’t think you were close")
Checking up on reports….I had a chap who was away every Wednesday morning for two hours for physiotherapy….one week I really needed him present at that time so I rang the surgery to ask if they could re-arrange….only to be told that he had been discharged five weeks before! When confronted, he objected on grounds of patient confidentiality and management prying!
Also….is there a difference between genders, eg a male manager making enquiries of a female member of staff who has been ill with "womens’ problems". Many male managers feel that this is highly embarrassing and, understandably some female staff members find it rather intimidating.
I hope this helps
Rus
Negative unactionable feedback
One example I can think of is feedback which is negative and unactionable. Things like "He is not impressing" or "Poor performance" is completely unhelpful, demotivating and as there are no examples or specifics, entirely useless.
If this is done consistently, it creates an environment of fear without any support or direction as to how to succeed.