Psychological Aspects of OHS 2.docx

Psychological Aspects of OHS: Part 2 What is workplace aggression and violence? What are key risk factors & how do we prevent them? Learning Objectives For Today Define key terms under the workplace aggression umbrella and what makes them distinct Identify the sources and risk factors of aggres...

Psychological Aspects of OHS: Part 2 What is workplace aggression and violence? What are key risk factors & how do we prevent them? Learning Objectives For Today Define key terms under the workplace aggression umbrella and what makes them distinct Identify the sources and risk factors of aggression and violence Outline steps to prevent workplace aggression and violence, harassment and bullying Workplace Aggression & Violence Workplace aggression (behaviour) Behaviour by an individual or individuals within or outside an organization that is intended to physically or psychologically harm a worker and that occurs in a work-related context Violence (harm) An actual physical assault or threat of an assault “All violent behaviors are aggressive, but not all aggressive behaviors are violent” Harassment Engaging in annoying or embarrassing conduct against a worker in a workplace; conduct that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome Bullying Situations where a person repeatedly and over a period of time is exposed to negative acts (i.e., constant abuse, offensive remarks or teasing, ridicule or social exclusion) on the part of co-workers, supervisors, or subordinates Incivility Low intensity deviant acts, such as rude and discourteous verbal and non-verbal behaviors enacted towards another organizational member with ambiguous intent to harm Abusive supervision Subordinates’ perceptions of the extent to which supervisors engage in the sustained display of hostile verbal and nonverbal behaviors, excluding physical contact Sexual Harassment Intentional, persistent, and unwelcomed sexual conduct or remarks that occur despite resistance from the victim May consist of… Gender Harassment: Comments or actions seen as creating a hostile environment based on gender Unwanted sexual attention: Persistent and unwelcome comments or attention Sexual Coercion: The attempt to extort sexual cooperation; can take the form of subtle or explicit job-related threats Dimensions of aggression Intent = victim’s perception about the perpetrator's intention to cause harm. Intensity = severity or harmfulness the victim attributes to the aggressive behavior. Frequency = rate at which behavior occurs. Visibility = covert (subtle) or overt (observable) Exercise In groups of 3-4 Compare the definitions of the different forms of workplace aggression and assign the dimensions Prevalence of workplace aggression Canadian Labour Congress National Survey of 4878 Canadians Consequences of workplace aggression Canadian Labour Congress National Survey of 4878 Canadians SOURCES AND RISK FACTORS OF WORKPLACE AGGRESSION & VIOLENCE Sources of workplace aggression & violence Prevalence by source type Textbook Prevalence by source type Canadian Labour Congress National Survey of 4878 Canadians Workplace aggression & violence Risk factors Risk factor: Working with the general public Industries reporting high rates of aggression & violence: Health care and social services Education services Public administration Law enforcement Risk factor: Working with the general public SAV-T (1): Scheduling: working alone, at night, on weekends Authority: have influence/discipline over others, deny requests Valuables: work around valuable products or objects Taking care of others: physical or emotional care of others outside a traditional workplace Limits of SAV-T (1) Most of the time these risks do not translate into workplace aggression and violence Many inherently risky occupations (nurses, police) put workers in a position where they cannot stop providing a service to manage the risk Imminent risk The short-term risk of violence occurring in the current situation grounded in the assault cycle model SAV-T (2): Swearing: profane language Agitation: physical signs of agitation Volume: shouting or talking loudly Threat: every threat should be interpreted as the onset of a violent interaction PREVENTION OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION Prevention workplace aggression & violence Type I Violence Actions aimed at preventing robberies will likely reduce number of workplace homicides Increasing Visibility Increase perceived risks for potential criminals For example, taxi drivers may have External emergency lights, GPS, In-car surveillance cameras Target Hardening Focus on physical designs that make it difficult to assault employees Protective screens reduce the number of assaults experienced by taxi drivers Type II Violence Common victims of nonfatal workplace violence: Health care workers, teachers, social service workers, prison guards, police officers Environmental Strategies Efforts to shape the work environment to reduce risk E.g., metal detectors, surveillance cameras, effective lighting, presence of security personnel Organizational/Administrative Strategies Policies & practices aimed at preventing aggression, written policy on what constitutes unacceptable behaviour, policies encouraging the reporting of violence Management should stress importance of reporting acts of aggression, take all reports of aggression seriously, and ensure that employees are aware of the organization’s commitment to safety Behavioural/Interpersonal Strategies Training gives employees confidence in dealing with potentially dangerous situations Training improves perceptions of control, which improves well-being and reduces fear of violence Type III Violence Generally, coworkers do not act aggressively, but rather react to certain situations in an aggressive way Triggers for workplace aggression include: unfair treatment, abusive supervision, role stress, and job insecurity Effective policies and programs… Eliminate or outline how to manage triggering events Focus on improving interpersonal relationships in workplace Facilitate creating open and transparent environment Developing specific procedures for employees to resolve conflicts and discuss grievances Type IV Violence Intimate partner violence almost always is perpetrated by someone (e.g., spouse) outside the organization Managers and organizational decision makers must: Be educated about forms of intimate partner violence Be aware of the resources that are available to employees Allow for temporary accommodation during a crisis Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence, Partner Interference, and Family Supportive Supervision on Victims’ Work Withdrawal Isola, Granger, Turner, LeBlanc, & Barling, 2023 Prevention workplace aggression & violence Organizational Policies and Programs – General Steps Summary Recognition Assessment of the general physical environment Identification of risk factors Assessment for specific risks Assessment Ranking of the level of risk applicable to specific jobs Control Providing guidelines and audit tools for the creation and monitoring of policies and programs CONFRONTING HARASSMENT & BULLYING AT WORK What be done Some hard realities: Harassment can occur as a single act Bullying can be subtle and difficult to deal with in an organization Sexual harassment most frequently includes insulting jokes and staring How can individuals and organizations respond? What can be done by individuals? Observer interventions (Bowes-Sperry & O’Leary-Kelly, 2005) 4 types of observer behaviors: Do nothing Directly punish the perpetrator (e.g., scold them) Indirectly punish the perpetrator (e.g., report the mistreatment) Aid the victim (e.g., provide a sympathetic ear) What can be done by organizations? Large scale interventions Employers may launch interventions to eliminate or reduce harassment and sexual harassment in their workplaces Employers are responsible for due care and protection of employees’ human rights in the workplace. Employers are liable for discriminatory conduct of and sexual harassment by their agents and supervisory personnel. Sexual harassment by a supervisor is automatically attributed to the employer when such harassment results in a tangible job-related disadvantage to the employee. What can be done by organizations? Investigating specific incidents Organizations can specific incidents Investigation policies should include: Provision to file a complaint Investigation by a neutral third-party ASAP Consultation with each of the parties involved Evidence gathering and decision making Communicating the decision with a proposed resolution Documenting the process and maintaining records Respectful workplaces When individual and organizations Organizations can involve employees in setting norms Training could also involve participation of employees in defining respectful and disrespectful workplaces Respectful workplace/anti-bullying programs: Civility, respect, and engagement (CREW) process Respect in the Workplace intervention program Developed in partnership with Canadian Red Cross and the RespectED organization