Workplace Bullying Moving On…… Tullamore Court Hotel March 10 th 2007

2 Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union Article 31. Fair and just working conditions Every worker has the right to working conditions which respect his or her health, safety and dignity.

3 The Guaranteed Way to Stop A Workplace Bully.  Get Rid of Them!

4 Effects on the Organisation  High Staff Turnover  Loss of Reputation  Loss of positive culture  Poor work performance  Lack of worker loyalty  Poor productivity  Litigation €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€!!!!!!

5 Schools and Workplace Bullying! What is it about schools that seems to make them particularly vulnerable to workplace bullying?

6 Schools and Bullying – Why Teaching?  Increased pressures/stresses in schools  Increased pressures on teachers  Differing expectations of schools  Change in schools  No pre-service or in- service training  Fear – no protection of whistleblowers  Feminisation of profession – increased reporting  Lack of promotional prospects

7  Lack of mobility in profession  Policy overload  Vocational aspect of teaching Leadership  Relative autonomy of Principal  Lack of obligatory training of Principals Boards of Management  Voluntary and transient nature of Boards of Management  No prior qualifications necessary for BoM Chairperson  Role of Inspectorate

8 Exercise 1 Imagine your school has had a bullying problem for some time. Agree on (a) one impediment to change (b) one support to change

9 Moving On…… There can be no healing without the absolute commitment of all parties concerned. Without this, we only have parlour games………………

Skills and Approaches to Create or Recreate a Positive Work Environment ………………………do they exist?

11 “Jealousies, guilt, anxiety and undisclosed and often unrecognised struggles for power have a profound effect on the acceptance or rejection of rational solutions to apparently straightforward problems” (Brooke-Smith 2003:64)

12 Prevention is better than cure! How to create a healthy school!  Clear Communication Structures  Culture of Support  Welcome for diversity  Zero tolerance for negative behaviours  Democratic management  Constant monitoring  Commitment to self-reflection  Educate Yourself  Training And……

13 Purely Policy  Importance of Policy  What to include in it  Homophobic Bullying  Culture Audit

14 How to stop it!  Accept that it is happening to you.  Decide to take action  Document  Bear Witness  Begin Informal Procedures.  Initiate Formal Procedures.  Only if these fail!!!!…. Initiate Formal Procedures.  Final Course of Action - Legal Redress

15 Exercise 2  Scenarios….. What would you do?

16 How can we move on as a school community?  Acknowledge the past ( Silence is the ally of bullying)  Agreed Facilitator – Parish Priest, Chairperson of B.O.M., Outside and Independent Agent  Personal Commitment to Change  Confront negativity head on.  Protect the positive elements of the school culture  Develop new stories of success  Celebrate the positive and successful where possible

17 Research 

18 Conclusion The Survivors Psalm I have been victimised I was in a fight that was not a fair fight. I did not ask for the fight. I lost. There is no shame in losing such fights, only in winning. I have reached the stage of survivor and am no longer a slave of victim status. I look back in sadness rather than hate. I look forward with hope rather than despair. I may never forget, but I need not constantly remember. I was a victim. I am a survivor. Ochberg 1993 (in Tehrani 2001)