One of the biggest myths about workplace bullying is that it’s a problem of individual bullies – bad apples in the barrel. The research record tells a different story, showing clearly that bullying is a systemic organisational problem – in other words, it’s actually bad barrels that let the apples rot. Sexual harassment should be understood in the same way: the strongest risk factors lie in the environment rather than in people, and employees with the propensity to harass others are less likely to do so in certain kinds of workplace environments.

Understanding bullying and harassment as organisational problems means accepting that strategies focussed primarily on behaviour – policies, education, training, reporting, and sanctions – cannot solve those problems within our workplaces. Said another way, workplace bullying and harassment cannot be eradicated without also tackling the systemic enablers and motivators. This webinar discusses how to approach bullying and harassment as organisational problems, including identifying and mitigating the root causes using a risk management approach.

About the speaker

Professor Michelle Tuckey

Michelle Tuckey is the Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology at the Centre for Workplace Excellence, UniSA Justice & Society, University of South Australia.

Professor Tuckey is Australia’s leading researcher in workplace bullying prevention, recognised globally for her theoretical and practical advances in this domain. Professor Tuckey has also achieved significant national impact through expert consultation and advice, such as supporting the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Set the Standard: Report on the Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces (2021).

Who should watch

You’ll find this webinar most useful if your work involves managing organisational risk (particularly psychosocial hazards) or employee performance and well-being.

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