STEPS TO RESPECT Newsletter
Spring 2008
Dealing with Workplace BullyingSummer Reading for Fifth- and Sixth-Graders
Bullying Ed for Early Elementary
Recommended Book: The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
SEL Programs Help with Academics
Dealing with Workplace Bullying
The STEPS TO RESPECT program describes bullying as "unfair and one-sided. It happens when someone keeps hurting, frightening, threatening, or leaving someone out on purpose." Although the STEPS TO RESPECT program is focused on preventing children from being bullied, many of the program's elements can be applied to another issue: bullying in the workplace.
According to researchers, 37 percent of American workers, an estimated 54 million people, have been bullied at work. The issue has become so widespread that 13 states have adopted workplace anti-bullying laws, according to the Workplace Bullying Institute.
Workplace bullying happens everywhere, even in schools. "Some of the meanest people in a school building are those we put in charge of our classrooms," Steve Gruenert, coordinator of the Principal Preparation Program at Indiana State University, wrote in an article for the National Association of Elementary School Principals. "School cultures have unique ways of introducing new employees to the 'way we do things around here,' good or bad," he says. Some of those "ways" may entail bullying behavior.
Recognize, Refuse, Report
STEPS TO RESPECT lessons help children learn how to recognize, refuse, and report bullying. Many of these strategies can work for adults, too. Here are some strategies you might be able to use to prevent or respond to bullying situations you might encounter at your workplace.
Know the Signs
Become aware of what bullying behavior might look like. The STEPS TO RESPECT program identifies bullying behavior as physically hurting or threatening to hurt someone, social exclusion, insults, name-calling, mean gossip and rumors, and sexual bullying.
In a school, Gruenert says, adult bullying behavior may include withholding important information from others, smirks or sarcasm in the hallway, refusing unpleasant duties, and demanding the best-equipped classrooms.
Another example of teacher bullying may take the form of a clique of teachers who unite to provide a bully-like effect. "They may target teachers who offer up ideas or opinions they dislike at faculty meetings, deliberately ignore or withhold resources from them, or accuse them of not 'fitting in,'" Gruenert explains.
Work on Policy and Follow-Up
Get staff buy-in to adapt the sample anti-bullying policy in the STEPS TO RESPECT program to encompass everyone in the school. For instance, "teachers and staff" can be added to the language in the final section of the sample policy (in the Program Guide), which describes what students will do to prevent bullying.
If a fellow employee reports a bullying incident to you, encourage him or her to follow up with your building administrator. If you are the building administrator, use this adapted Four-A Response Process from the program: Affirm the staff member's feelings; ask questions about the incident; assess the employee's safety; act by following up with the person who may have bullied.
Be Part of the Solution
Refuse to be bullied yourself. If you believe you are being bullied—and you believe it is safe to do so—assertively ask the person to stop the offending behavior.
When you see bullying, take active steps to stop it. The STEPS TO RESPECT program teaches that bystanders can discourage peers from bullying others by assertively speaking out against bullying while it is taking place. Note the word "assertively"—not aggressively.
When you are assertive, you are expressing your thoughts in a strong, clear, and respectful way, looking directly at the person. Sometimes it helps to take several deep breaths to calm down.
You can also be part of the solution by trying to make the person who is being bullied feel better, standing up for the person who is being bullied, telling the person who is doing the bullying to stop, and/or suggesting to the person being bullied that you accompany them to report the bullying.
STEPS TO RESPECT points out that people sometimes may not step in because they fear for their safety or are afraid of losing friends, being retaliated against, being bullied, or being labeled as a "tattletale." If you do determine it is safe to intervene, you can be effective at stopping bullying.
Dorothy Dubia
Communications Specialist
Committee for Children
References
Gruenert, S. (2006). "Are Teacher Bullies Infecting Your School?" Principal Magazine, 85(3), 61.
Workplace Bullying Institute (2007). U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey. Bellingham, WA: WBI.