Bully-Free Programs

NSGEU Working Toward Bully-Free Workplaces Program

The NSGEU Working Toward Bully-Free Workplaces program provides;

• employee education to;
  • define and identify bullying behaviors
  • recognize health effects on employees
  • understand the impact on workplaces
  • explore personal and formal remedies.
• employer feedback allows for assessment and addressing risks associated with bullying behaviour; and
• recommendation for strategies that support sustainability and promote psychological health and safety in the workplace

2 Hour Awareness Session

Our two hour awareness session provides a definition and basic information to explore the effects of workplace bullying on the individual, co-workers, family, and the workplace and introduces interventions

Four, two-hour modules

Provides an introduction to the problem of workplace bullying in module format where it is operationally challenging for an employer to commit the time for a full-day session. The module format spread over several weeks allows for time to practice skills and to implement changes to shift workplace culture.

6 Hour Workshop

Explores issues of workplace bullying in greater depth with small group activities. A variety of adult learning techniques are used to engage participants, to help understand the problems and solutions to workplace incivility and bullying.

It is possible to adapt the six hour to a half day workshop to better meet the needs of employees and their employers.

Restorative Practices provides a model of shared responsibility in addressing workplace bullying.

The emerging field of restorative practices gives those most affected by conflict the tools and principles needed to resolve problems and build relationships. Using a restorative approach can resolve conflict, repair harm, and support an overall healthy workplace culture. A premise of restorative practices is that people are happier, more cooperative, and productive, and more likely to make positive changes when those in authority do things with them, rather than to, or for them. Using a restorative practice approach is also consistent with changes to the Nova Scotia’s Human Rights process in 2012.

A Restorative Workplaces program works to resolve conflict while encouraging and supporting those who have caused harm to understand and acknowledge the impact of what they have done, with an opportunity to repair the harm. It offers those who have been harmed the opportunity to have their harm acknowledged and amends made. While progressive discipline and sanctions remain an aspect to repair harm, resolving the harm done prevents the behaviour from being repeated and reintegrates individuals into communities of work.

• Download a pdf copy of the Bully-Free Workplace Brochure

• Download the Restorative Workplace Practices Brochure

• Download a pdf copy of the Documenting An Event form

EMPATHIC Program – Empowering Action to Heal and Integrate Change

This program has been developed to assist those who have been accused of bullying or who are concerned they may have engaged in bullying behaviour. Explores perceptions of justice/injustice.

Train-the- Trainer

Rationale: Demand for the NSGEU Bully Free Workplace program within the province has been extensive and challenges the NSGEU ability to respond in an effective and time efficient manner with experienced facilitators. Following National and International conferences in October 2012, we began receiving requests from out of province.

Goal:  To provide the Train-the-Trainer Program in partnership with employers who request the NSGEU Program based on the merit of the program content.  These employers may want their employees to access this education however, logistical work-related concerns impact employees’ ability to come off the job; e.g., home care workers, shift workers, workers off-site and as requests come from other provinces or jurisdictions, geographically dispersed employers and their employees.

Aim: To expand the capacity for the NSGEU to respond to requests to deliver the Working Toward Bully-Free Workplaces Program in various and diverse workplaces in a timely, efficient and effective manner. With requests from out of province, and potentially internationally, while retaining our initial aim we have been validated in having a unique, quality program with the potential for a broader work and social impact. We want to continue to retain the integrity of the educational content and ‘branding’ of NSGEU materials.

Since February 2012 the NSGEU has offered a Train-the-Trainer program to allow non-NSGEU participants to receive the Working Toward Bully-Free Workplaces Program training.  This has led to several pilot projects; e.g.

• Northwood Home care with approximately 1,200 employees
• Self-Help Connection, a non-unionized and not for profit organization
• Newfoundland and Labrador – Atlantic Safety Centre
• Prince Edward Island Union of Public Sector Employees (PEUPSE) in partnership with the Public Service Commission (PSC)

Alternative Format

In order to reach diverse populations and to accommodate employer needs we have are able to offer an alternative format for those with intellectual or mental health challenges.