Hello Jenny and all,
We have a Dignity at Work and Study Policy and Procedures, approved April
2002. You can see it on the web at:
http://www.apu.ac.uk/hr/policies/pdf/Dignity_at_Work_and_Study.pdf
In Jan 02 we sent every member of staff a personally labelled copy of a
companion booklet, "Treating Colleagues and Students with Dignity, Courtesy
and Respect". It's short, user-friendly, and covers key points, and we've
continued to send it to every newly appointed member of staff. It's also on
the staff-only part of our website. For first-line advice, the booklet and
the policy both direct staff towards the Employee Support Helpline, where
they can receive confidential professional advice on a whole range of
issues, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. Students are directed towards the
Students Union Advice Service which operates on both main campuses. They
produce a companion leaflet for students, Dignity at Study, which is similar
in content to the staff booklet.
I heard recently that some of our staff are using the booklet (which has a
bright yellow cover) far more creatively and practically, and to better
effect, than I could have imagined: as a "yellow card" to wave if someone's
behaviour or language begins to veer towards the unacceptable. A serious
and unmistakeable message, but lightly and easily delivered, without the
struggle to find the right words, the right moment, the courage to speak
up -- sounds like an unbeatable combination to me. We may well take this
one further!
Best wishes for the new academic year,
Faith
=========================
Faith Marchal
Equality & Diversity Adviser
Anglia Polytechnic University
Bishop Hall Lane
Chelmsford CM1 1SQ
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
tel: 01245 493131, ext. 4928
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jenny Woodhouse" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 9:53 AM
Subject: Dignity at work and support for victims of harassment policies
> Dear colleagues
>
> I know that this is a perennial one, but I'd be grateful for a few
examples to
> convince our committees that we won't be out on a limb if we extend our
> existing harassment procedures in a positive direction.
>
> To date we have a formal code but the backup is rather ad hoc - the code
is at
> http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/personnel/policy/bullying.html
>
> What we want to do is to introduce a Dignity at Work policy, foregrounding
the
> positive commitment to protecting the dignity of all, and trying to find
> solutions short of the need to invoke the complaints procedure; and to
create
> a network of volunteer harassment advisers. (The latter with
acknowledgement
> to Syd Kent at Essex - I've been trying to get the go-ahead to follow this
> example for years).
>
> I'd be very grateful for information from other institutions which have
gone
> in these directions (a simple yes or no, or a Web reference, perhaps).
>
> With many thanks, and best wishes for the next academic year - would that
we
> could expect a calm one!
>
> Jenny
>
> Jenny Woodhouse
> Personnel Consultant
> University of Cambridge Personnel Division
> The Old Schools, Trinity Lane
> Cambridge CB2 1TN
> 01223 332344
>
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