Dignity at Work

DIGNITY AT WORK

Being afforded a dignified place of work is a right for every employee and this online Dignity at Work training will help your staff understand this role in achieve this. This means a workplace free from both bullying and harassment.   However, a survey by the BBC (Oct 2017) found that a large proportion of employers and not currently fulfilling this obligation.  

How to handle issues of bullying and harassment can be confusing for employees and employers.   So, this dignity at work course, designed for all staff, explains responsibilities on both sides.  Consequently, the clear expectations are established, upon which dignified workplaces are built.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Firstly, provide employers with an effective way to help establish a dignified workplace.  Secondly, help employees understand their responsibilities to employers and colleagues with respect to dignity at work.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Understand legislation around bullying and harassment at work
• Identify bullying and harassment at work
• How to prevent bullying and harassment at work
• What to do if you or a colleague are bullied or harassment
• Appropriate management responses

COURSE CONTENT

UNIT 1 | INTRODUCTION

• What you will learn
• Learning objectives

UNIT 2 | BULLYING

• What is bullying?
• Bulling and the Law
• Examples of bullying
• How common is bullying?
• What bullying is not
• Effective communication
• Bullying resolution

UNIT 3 | HARASSMENT

• What is harassment?
• Harassment legislation
• Categories of harassment
• Sexual harassment

UNIT 4 | PREVENTION

• Bullying Vs Management
• Dignity at Work policy
• Roles
• Grievance procedure
• Trade Unions

UNIT 5 | RESPONDING TO A COMPLAINT

• Procedures
• Responding to a bullying or harassment complaint
• Formal investigation
• If a bullying complaint is upheld
• External bodies

UNIT 6 | QUIZ

IDEAL FOR

Above all, those with the responsibility for establishing dignity at work policies.  After that, all staff.  Because we all have a role in creating dignified workplaces.  

CERTIFICATION

At the end of the CPD accredited online Dignity at Work course there is a 15 question, multiple-choice quiz.  If learners demonstrate their understanding of course content by achieving a minimum score of 80%, we’ll email them their completion certificate.  If learners score less than 80%, they can revisit any part of the course and retake the quiz until they are successful. A posted certificate is available here.

The Dignity at Work certificate is valid for 2 years.

LEGISLATION

Harassment is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. Bullying itself is not against the law however, under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act (1974) employers have a ‘duty of care’ for all their workers.

Further, under British law it is an offence to lay hands on another person without their consent and there are varying degrees of assault. Health and safety law applies to risks from violence (including verbal abuse), just as it does to other risks at work.

WHY TAKE THE DIGNITY AT WORK COURSE

Important for the success of your business is providing a workplace that is free from harassment.  Moreover, it is a legal requirement.  Because the Equality Act 2010 protects employees from harassment by their employer and colleagues.  

Behaviours that constitute bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment are explored in the course.  For instance, when does workplace banter become bullying?  Or is it ok to put an arm around a colleague to support them?  

Consequently, staff will gain an understand of what is appropriate behaviour and what it not.  This clarity reduces the chance of future transgression. 

Because there is a subjective element to bullying and harassment.  It follows that company policies will vary.  So, we are happy to adjust the content of the dignity at work training to reflect your specific requirements.  

INCLUDED

• Accelerated learning – 35 minutes  
• CPD-accredited certificate
• Access on phones, tablets or desktops
• 12 months access
• Net zero carbon product

BULLYING AND THE LAW

While bullying itself is not against the law, under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act (1974) employers have a ‘duty of care’ for all their workers. If a person is being bullied, their situation might also be harassment under the Equality Act. If it is, the person being bullied can take action under that law. We will explore the Equality Act in more detail later in the course.

Assault is committed when a person either assaults another person or commits a battery. Under British law it is an offence to lay hands on another person without their consent and there are varying degrees of assault. Health and safety law applies to risks from violence (including verbal abuse), just as it does to other risks at work.

Workers who are assaulted, threatened or abused at work also have legal remedies available to them under civil law. As employers are usually responsible in law for the acts of their workers, civil cases can result in damages against the employer if it is determined the employer has not done all that is reasonably practicable to protect the employee.

PERSPECTIVES ON BULLYING

The Welfare of an employee who may being bullied is of the utmost importance.

Any incidence of bullying is likely to be offensive and distressing for the victim and any bullying accusation must be dealt with carefully.

It is for each individual to determine what behaviour is acceptable to them, and what they find offensive. Words and/or actions may be harmless in a particular setting or towards particular individuals or groups; however, the exact same words or actions may amount to bullying or harassment in a different context, or when used towards different individuals.

A common example might be mockery or ‘banter’ between colleagues whose shared sense of humour permits some mutual crossing of boundaries without threatening the working relationship; whereas a different colleague might feel deeply uncomfortable when exposed to identical behaviour. Rather than the intention of the perpetrator, the key factor is how people perceive they are being treated.

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E: [email protected]  |  T: (+44) 0131 661 8253

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