Encourage Employees to Be Upstanders
Legislatures throughout the country continue to struggle with how best to address the continuing problem of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Is more legislation necessary? If so, what should that legislation mandate and how will it be enforced? Most importantly, how can we help employees understand what inappropriate workplace behavior looks like and what they can do when they see it?
What is Bystander Training?
We often include a module in our harassment prevention training programs called “Being an Upstander” – a workplace version of “if you see something, say something.” Although this module is currently only mandated in Chicago, we believe it is a powerful way to help employees take responsibility for creating a positive and safe workplace culture.
Bystander training, or what we call “upstander training,” is one of the most effective ways to empower employees to address and prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace. This training gives employees the permission, confidence, and language to be an “upstander” – meaning they are encouraged to intervene in some way when they witness inappropriate behavior.
To effectively empower employees to be “upstanders,“ this training must demonstrate the significant positive impact an upstander can have, acknowledge the barriers employees may feel when asked to be an upstander, and explore effective interventions employees can use, despite those barriers.
How Can Employees Be Upstanders?
Being an “upstander” does not require an employee to engage in one particular action. It also recognizes that employees may face real obstacles to speaking up. Some employees are shy or do not want to “make a scene.” Others may not want to upset or offend those around them, or may be concerned about retaliation or negative consequences for themselves.
The purpose of this training is not to mandate any specific response, but to introduce employees to the notion that they can have an important role in creating a respectful workplace.
Upstander training introduces several options that allow employees to respond in ways that feel manageable. For example:
Employees are encouraged to disrupt inappropriate conduct by jumping into a conversation that feels inappropriate or offensive, changing the subject, or calling one party away – effectively stopping the conduct in the moment.
Employees who are more senior, or whose personalities lend themselves to more direct communication, may choose to engage directly with the person involved and call out the inappropriate behavior.
Employees who are uncomfortable saying anything in the moment may choose to provide support to their impacted coworker after the fact.
By teaching employees that being an “upstander” does not have to mean a direct confrontation, organizations give employees practical ways to be part of the respectful workplace solution, in ways that feel comfortable, realistic, and safe.