Impact not intent

Abstract

Purpose

This case study aims to describe a consultancy project where managers in a distribution centre of a major logistics company were developed to give them confidence to implement a new harassment and bullying policy.

Design/methodology/approach

Included within the design was an action research project using a five‐stage scale defining the development of harassment and bullying. The new policy, the background to it and the development scale were introduced using group training methods.

Findings

The study finds that during the follow‐up discussions and reports after the action research, managers reported that they could distinguish “good humoured banter” from harassment. They also distinguished more serious examples of harassment and bullying. In a four‐week period there were 21 incidents in the two lowest stages of harassment development and seven were in the higher stages. These even are of the level that may create a reportable incident. Follow‐up three months after the programme is also described.

Originality/value

This paper will be of value to directors, strategic managers and human resource professionals who want to discover a way to enable managers to handle harassment and bullying issues with more confidence.

Citation

Holme, C.A. (2006), "Impact not intent", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 38 No. 5, pp. 242-247. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850610677698