MTMA has amassed the following list of what you can do when you are faced with or witness inappropriate behavior in the workplace. At the bottom of the page there are various reporting options included.
Active Bystander Intervention Strategies are one of the tools we all have to address inappropriate workplace behaviours when they happen to us or in our presence. Step up and Speak up!
Active Bystander Intervention in the Workplace
It starts with YOU! Don’t be silent! Be a DIGGER!
It all starts with a person who notices a problematic situation and takes action.
Active Bystander Intervention Strategies are one of the tools we all have to address inappropriate workplace behaviours when they happen to us or in our presence. Step up and Speak up!
Active Bystander Intervention in the Workplace
It starts with YOU! Don’t be silent! Be a DIGGER!
It all starts with a person who notices a problematic situation and takes action.
SAFETY
The first step is to assess the situation, is everyone safe?
Your first priority is your safety and the second is the safety of the targeted person.
There is no one answer or solution for action as there are multiplicities of scenarios and behaviors around unacceptable situations.
Your first priority is your safety and the second is the safety of the targeted person.
There is no one answer or solution for action as there are multiplicities of scenarios and behaviors around unacceptable situations.
DIRECT ACTION
If it is safe there are some direct ways to address the behavior but do not attack the harasser. You can Call Out or you can Call In.
Call Out: Sometimes, it is appropriate to be bold and direct and use statements that are short and succinct like:
Call In: and at other times, it is appropriate to talk to the harasser. Ask them to leave the situation with you or talk to them immediately after and express your concern about their behaviour or comment. "I heard what you said and I want to talk to you about it. I think it was really inappropriate."
You could do any of the following:
INDIRECT ACTIONS
Read the situation and act appropriately. These actions are used to change the focus or to provide the target the opportunity to remove themselves from the scene.
Interrupt
What are you guys talking about?
Someone is looking for you at reception?
Disrupt
Distract the harasser by making a noise (drop something heavy, knock something over) or spilling a drink, coffee or water
GET A COWORKER OR ACTIVATE BYSTANDERS
This can be a safe way to intervene if you feel at risk by acting alone. You can get a friend or coworker or you can activate bystanders that may be present.
You can say the following:
Are you OK with this?
I think we should do something here!
Do you want to go get the supervisor?
Your friend looks uncomfortable. Can you go check on them?
Enlist the Help of your coworkers....If you are the target of harassment you can talk to your co-workers and point out the inappropriate behaviour to them and ask for their support. Ask them if they notice what is going on and tell them you are uncomfortable and feel you are being targeted. Ask them to assist you by documenting the details when it happens in their presence.
GET AN AUTHORITY
If you are concerned for your safety or for someone else’s, then get help from an authority. If safety is a serious concern then call 911, call security or a manager/supervisor.
ENGAGE WITH THE TARGET
Acknowledging a situation has happened and providing emotional support after an incident of harassment is the most common and impactful form of workplace bystander intervention, according to a 2016 study in the International Journal of Human Resources Management. For the target, this interaction can dissipate some of the impact of the harassment and offer relief. They can feel less isolated and alone.
After the incident, try to engage the targeted person, offer to connect them with appropriate resources and send them a document that summarizes what you saw as a witness to the incident.
You can ask questions like:
Are you Ok?
Is there anything I can do to support you?
Do you want me to report this for you?
or
Use phrases like:
I want you to know that I saw/heard that and I am sorry this just happened to you.
I don't really know what to say to you but I saw what happened and wanted to help.
I have never done this before but I just heard about what happened to you and wanted to check in and make sure you are OK. What can I do to help?
RECORD AND DOCUMENT
As soon as possible, document the incident in a journal, personal email to yourself (not a company email address) or an electronic document (on your personal computer or email it to your personal email address). It is important to keep a record of all incidents we experience or witness because documentation supports the reporting process, provides evidence of escalation and amasses a record of events that we cannot dismiss or discount over time.
Record the following information:
REPORT
Reporting Options Include:
1. Report the Incident to your Company
Studies consistently show that sexualized violence and sexual harassment in the workplace are critically under- reported. The EEOC in the US estimates that 75% of people targeted by workplace sexual harassment do not report.
We want safe and respectful workplaces and reporting needs to reflect the rate of incidents. Companies need to enact or adjust policies and procedures so they can address inappropriate language and behaviours in the workplace and this cannot be accomplished if companies are not informed.
If your company fails to act or has a dissatisfying outcome, you have the right to file a complaint with an outside agency.
2. Report the Incident to your Union
All collective agreements should include protections from workplace sexual harassment and a union is required to provide any member with the information and reporting guidelines upon request.
Ask your union representative what your rights are and what the reporting guidelines and the best time to do this is before you need to use them.
3. Seek Legal Council
A lawyer specializing in labour law can review a situation and analyze the options available to a target.
In some situations there may be multiple organizations to deal with, criminal charges and possibly civil action for compensation for harm suffered.
4. Workers Compensation Boards
Each province and territory has a form of Workers Compensation Board and legislated health and safety laws. The Workers Compensation Act includes workplace harassment and bullying as a health and safety risk and a reportable offence.
If your company does not have policy or reporting options in place or does not provide a reasonable reaction to an incident then workers are expected to contact their provincial or territorial WCB agency such as WorkSafeBC, WCBAB, WCBSASK, WCBMB, WSIB (Ontario), CNESST (Quebec), WorkSafeNB, WCBNS, WCBPEI, WorkPlaceNL, WCBYK and WSCCNT (NWT and Nunavut).
5. Professional Associations
Professional Associations have codes of ethics and codes of conduct that include professional workplace conduct. Unprofessional behaviour in the workplace can be reported to appropriate provincial and territorial engineering and geoscience professional associations such as EGBC (Engineers and Geoscientists of BC), APEGGA (Alberta), APEGS (Saskatchewan), APEGM (Manitoba), PEO (Engineers, Ontario), APGO (Geologists, Ontario), OIQ (Engineers, Quebec), OGQ (Geologists, Quebec), APEGNB (New Brunswick), APENS (Engineers, Nova Scotia), GeoscientistsNS (Geologists, Nova Scotia), APEPEI (PEI), PEGNL (Newfoundland), APEY (Yukon) and NAPEGG (Northwest Territories and Nunavut).
Architects, Lawyers and Accountants also have similar professional associations that have policy over professional conduct in the workplace.
6. Human Rights Commissions and Tribunals
Under Provincial and Canadian Human Rights legislation all Canadians have the right to a workplace free of sexual violence and sexual harassment.
If there are insufficient reporting options or the outcome of a complaint is not satisfactory, a worker may be able to file a complaint with their provincial, territorial or the Federal humans rights tribunal or commission.
For Americans it is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). For Australians it is the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
If it is safe there are some direct ways to address the behavior but do not attack the harasser. You can Call Out or you can Call In.
Call Out: Sometimes, it is appropriate to be bold and direct and use statements that are short and succinct like:
- That is not funny!
- That is harassment!
- That is racist!
- That is inappropriate!
- That is disrespectful
- That is not OK!
- Leave me alone! ...her alone! …him alone! …them alone!
- Do not say that to me! …to her! …to him! …to them!
- Get your hands off me! …her! …him! ...them!
- Back away from me right now! …her right now! …him right now! …them right now!
Call In: and at other times, it is appropriate to talk to the harasser. Ask them to leave the situation with you or talk to them immediately after and express your concern about their behaviour or comment. "I heard what you said and I want to talk to you about it. I think it was really inappropriate."
You could do any of the following:
- Seek clarity: "I did not understand your joke, can you explain it to me" or "Can you tell me why you think what you said is true?"
- State disagreement, "I disagree with your comment, you may think you were being funny but it wasn't, it made people feel uncomfortable and you should stop saying these things."
- Educate them if you have personal connection to the comment or ask them to educate themselves.
- Personify the comment by asking them to imagine a family member or friend being spoken about in that way. "I am going to connect this comment to you by asking you to imagine someone saying that to your mother, sister, brother, daughter or son."
INDIRECT ACTIONS
Read the situation and act appropriately. These actions are used to change the focus or to provide the target the opportunity to remove themselves from the scene.
Interrupt
- Ask an unrelated question
What are you guys talking about?
Someone is looking for you at reception?
- Over-talk and directly interrupt
Disrupt
- walking away as the target, with the target or with the aggressor (if you know them)
- not laughing at inappropriate jokes
Distract the harasser by making a noise (drop something heavy, knock something over) or spilling a drink, coffee or water
GET A COWORKER OR ACTIVATE BYSTANDERS
This can be a safe way to intervene if you feel at risk by acting alone. You can get a friend or coworker or you can activate bystanders that may be present.
You can say the following:
Are you OK with this?
I think we should do something here!
Do you want to go get the supervisor?
Your friend looks uncomfortable. Can you go check on them?
Enlist the Help of your coworkers....If you are the target of harassment you can talk to your co-workers and point out the inappropriate behaviour to them and ask for their support. Ask them if they notice what is going on and tell them you are uncomfortable and feel you are being targeted. Ask them to assist you by documenting the details when it happens in their presence.
GET AN AUTHORITY
If you are concerned for your safety or for someone else’s, then get help from an authority. If safety is a serious concern then call 911, call security or a manager/supervisor.
ENGAGE WITH THE TARGET
Acknowledging a situation has happened and providing emotional support after an incident of harassment is the most common and impactful form of workplace bystander intervention, according to a 2016 study in the International Journal of Human Resources Management. For the target, this interaction can dissipate some of the impact of the harassment and offer relief. They can feel less isolated and alone.
After the incident, try to engage the targeted person, offer to connect them with appropriate resources and send them a document that summarizes what you saw as a witness to the incident.
You can ask questions like:
Are you Ok?
Is there anything I can do to support you?
Do you want me to report this for you?
or
Use phrases like:
I want you to know that I saw/heard that and I am sorry this just happened to you.
I don't really know what to say to you but I saw what happened and wanted to help.
I have never done this before but I just heard about what happened to you and wanted to check in and make sure you are OK. What can I do to help?
RECORD AND DOCUMENT
As soon as possible, document the incident in a journal, personal email to yourself (not a company email address) or an electronic document (on your personal computer or email it to your personal email address). It is important to keep a record of all incidents we experience or witness because documentation supports the reporting process, provides evidence of escalation and amasses a record of events that we cannot dismiss or discount over time.
Record the following information:
- Name of harasser(s)
- Name of targeted person (s)
- Name of all witnesses or bystanders
- Date and time
- Location
- Detailed description of inappropriate behavior or statements and document any touching or contact.
- Attach hard copies of any electronic communications including emails, texts, social media posts, etc.
- Keep a recording of any voicemails or other audio based communications
- Photograph any graffiti or images that may be part of the incident
- Record all physical and emotional reactions of you as the witness, bystander or target
- Remember that it is better to write too much detail rather than too little
- Document all visits to doctors, counselors or therapists that are related to the incident
REPORT
Reporting Options Include:
1. Report the Incident to your Company
Studies consistently show that sexualized violence and sexual harassment in the workplace are critically under- reported. The EEOC in the US estimates that 75% of people targeted by workplace sexual harassment do not report.
We want safe and respectful workplaces and reporting needs to reflect the rate of incidents. Companies need to enact or adjust policies and procedures so they can address inappropriate language and behaviours in the workplace and this cannot be accomplished if companies are not informed.
If your company fails to act or has a dissatisfying outcome, you have the right to file a complaint with an outside agency.
2. Report the Incident to your Union
All collective agreements should include protections from workplace sexual harassment and a union is required to provide any member with the information and reporting guidelines upon request.
Ask your union representative what your rights are and what the reporting guidelines and the best time to do this is before you need to use them.
3. Seek Legal Council
A lawyer specializing in labour law can review a situation and analyze the options available to a target.
In some situations there may be multiple organizations to deal with, criminal charges and possibly civil action for compensation for harm suffered.
4. Workers Compensation Boards
Each province and territory has a form of Workers Compensation Board and legislated health and safety laws. The Workers Compensation Act includes workplace harassment and bullying as a health and safety risk and a reportable offence.
If your company does not have policy or reporting options in place or does not provide a reasonable reaction to an incident then workers are expected to contact their provincial or territorial WCB agency such as WorkSafeBC, WCBAB, WCBSASK, WCBMB, WSIB (Ontario), CNESST (Quebec), WorkSafeNB, WCBNS, WCBPEI, WorkPlaceNL, WCBYK and WSCCNT (NWT and Nunavut).
5. Professional Associations
Professional Associations have codes of ethics and codes of conduct that include professional workplace conduct. Unprofessional behaviour in the workplace can be reported to appropriate provincial and territorial engineering and geoscience professional associations such as EGBC (Engineers and Geoscientists of BC), APEGGA (Alberta), APEGS (Saskatchewan), APEGM (Manitoba), PEO (Engineers, Ontario), APGO (Geologists, Ontario), OIQ (Engineers, Quebec), OGQ (Geologists, Quebec), APEGNB (New Brunswick), APENS (Engineers, Nova Scotia), GeoscientistsNS (Geologists, Nova Scotia), APEPEI (PEI), PEGNL (Newfoundland), APEY (Yukon) and NAPEGG (Northwest Territories and Nunavut).
Architects, Lawyers and Accountants also have similar professional associations that have policy over professional conduct in the workplace.
6. Human Rights Commissions and Tribunals
Under Provincial and Canadian Human Rights legislation all Canadians have the right to a workplace free of sexual violence and sexual harassment.
If there are insufficient reporting options or the outcome of a complaint is not satisfactory, a worker may be able to file a complaint with their provincial, territorial or the Federal humans rights tribunal or commission.
For Americans it is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). For Australians it is the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).