Attainable Solutions is often engaged by Companies to conduct Workplace Bullying Investigations. Following our reported findings, we aim to offer tangible practical solutions to help organisations gain something positive, after experiencing these pain points. On many occasions, some parties involved face consequences for generating impactful behaviour. On other occasions, there is more of a responsibility for the Company to offer clear messaging to all employees, about what is considered unacceptable workplace behaviours to prevent future incidents. The silver lining however, is there are usually windows of opportunity for the Company to invest in creating more constructive workplace cultures.
In the aftermath of a complaint and investigation, we often start by talking to the involved parties, and stakeholders, about how they can reset interpersonal dynamics and rethink the "spirit of exchange". In other words, how are invested parties going to contribute to the creation of psychologically safe space, and genuinely commit to rebuilding trust. This can start off with mediating between affected parties, with some acknowledgement of behavioural impacts, comittment to changing behaviour, and working agreements.
At an organisational level, Attainable Solutions takes the approach to engage as many employees as possible, to build levels of self-protection, self-care, resilience, support networks and bystander courage, to facilitate employees' readiness and ownership of the culture change. We engage employees in the process of injecting higher levels of generosity in their exchanges, suspending judgement when interpretating behaviour, constructive challenging when counterproductive behaviour is observed, harnessing their own leadership, and building their most constructive responses in the awkward, tentative phases of re-instigating trust. It is a dynamic and complex environment, so we often recommend checks and balances the Company can institute to monitor, support and embed the adopted culture changes.
We would welcome the opportunity to assist your Company overcome the complex terrain of responding to Workplace Bullying complaints. Our CEO and Founder, Elizabeth Norris delivers Workplace Bullying Response Masterclasses for Managerial, ER, HR and Safety Professionals.
