The Bully-Free Workplace: Stop Jerks, Weasels, and Snakes From Killing Your Organization

Train Interveners and Encourage Altruism

Bullied individuals lament that neither witnesses nor coworkers do anything to stop the incidents of humiliation and intimidation. We discussed some of the reasons for inaction in Chapter 7. To sustain antibullying progress, someone or some group will have to step up to intervene.

The Science of Bystander Nonintervention

We previously discussed the scientific studies about why bystanders fail to act in emergencies. Factors that reduce the tendency to help include fear; overestimation of personal risk; situations that are vague and ambiguous; the inaction of others, which convinces people to do nothing; personal feelings that it might be inappropriate to intervene; identification more with bully than target; and the diffusion of responsibility that comes from believing many others could also help so surely one of them will help.

To counter these factors, there must be training for everyone about how to help others. Some of our clients write into their policies an obligation for every employee to respond when they witness any bullying. Other clients hold only managers responsible.

The alternative to a requirement to help is designating the task of intervening to a special group of employees. Everyone in the organization would know the group members. The members become the “official” interveners. It is critical that the group have members representing all ranks in the organization. No nonsupervisory employee should be made to intervene in bullying ...