Individual/Organisationalname:
OfficeUseOnly
Warringah Council, NSW027
ModelWorkHealthandSafetyCodeofPracticePreventingandRespondingtoWorkplace
Bullying-PublicCommentResponse Form
ModelCodeofPractice-PreventingandRespondingtoWorkplaceBullying
Chapter1:Introduction
Comments:
Mycommentsrelatetothedefinitionalaspectsof"workplacebullying",pursuanttoclause1.2on pages4 and5ofthedraftCodeofPractice.
AtWarringah Councilwehavebeenrunningaverysuccessfulprogramsince 2010-"A Bully FreeWarringah".Thishasinvolvedbotheducationandtrainingacrossallstaffaswellasdealing with bullyingallegationsusing our misconductinvestigationprocess. This approach,which seems verymuch inline with your draft Code,hasprovedmost effective, asevidencedbystaff survey results relatingto our workplaceculture,aswell asthe removal/discipliningofseveral supervisory/managerialstaffforworkplacebullyingmisconduct.
Inrelation tothedefinitionofworkplacebullying,weteachourstaffthatoneofthekeyelements ofbullyingisthatthebully hasapurposeforengaginginthebehavioursthattheychoose. We explicitlytellourstaff thatthereisnosuchthing as"accidentalbullying". Wedostatethatone off inappropriatebehavioursmay inadvertentlyarise and cause unintendedconsequencesor perceptions,butthatbullyingbehavioursareintentional.IagreewithyourCodethatabehaviouroraction maystill haveresults which werenotintended, however,Ithink thedefinitionneedsto clarify thattheactualbehaviouroractionisstillintentional,regardlessoftheresult.
Itmaywell bethat your definitionismeanttoimply theabove,butIthink itisvitalthatthis is clearly stated. Ifaccidentalbehavioursoractions areallowed tobedefinedaspotentialbullying, thenmanagementofpersonnelinorganizationsrisksbecominguntenable.
Touseahypotheticalexampletomakethepoint:
WhenIwalkinto myoffice inthemorning andmyadministrationofficer greets me,naturallythe appropriate behaviour/actiononmypartistogreetherinreturn. IfIintentionallyignore her,then this isdefinitelyaninappropriatebehaviourand could,dependingon repetitionand possible other inappropriatebehaviours,beaform ofworkplacebullying. However,ifIdonot hearthe greeting and do not see my staff member present, and thereforeIdo not respond,then this action,orinaction,onmypartisclearly accidental. Assuch,myfailuretorespondappropriately could notbeconsideredaformofworkplacebullying.
GeneralComments
Pleasefeelfreetocontactmeifyouwouldliketodiscusstheabovefurther,orifyouwouldlikeany informationaboutouranti-bullyingprogramandframeworkatWarringahCouncil.