Restoring The Workplace Following A Harassment Complaint: A Manager's Guide
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Table of Contents
About This Guide
Preamble
One of the most common reasons for an employee to decide to initiate the formal resolution process of a harassment complaint is due to poorly managed or unmanaged conflict. A harassment complaint rarely comes out of the blue. When a harassment complaint is filed under the Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution, the complainant and respondent are the people who are most obviously affected by the formal resolution process. However, in most cases the situation is likely to have a negative impact on the people in the team, group or unit including the manager. This is why it is so important that preventive activities are in place to foster a harassment-free workplace. Appendix A of the Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution provides a suggested list of activities which aim to reduce the potential for harassment, or perceptions of harassment, in the workplace.
What can this guide do for you?
The purpose of this guide is to help you, as the manager, smooth the way and promote the restoration of the workplace once the formal process has been initiated (i.e. allegations of harassment have been submitted in writing). More specifically, this guide is intended to help you manage sensitive and complex issues related to harassment in the workplace with the aim of restoring a respectful work environment not only for the parties involved but for the entire team. By taking proactive yet prudent steps now, and throughout the resolution process, you will be more equipped to deal with your employees' apprehensions and concerns, and minimize the negative impact on all stakeholders. Early engagement in the restoration of a healthy workplace is an important responsibility of management and ultimately supports the business lines and operational requirements of any organization.
You also need to take care of yourself throughout the process so that you can continue supporting your team while managing the situation and meeting operational requirements. Key to this is ensuring that you are well-supported, that you have someone to provide you with advice and guidance, and that you have somebody to talk to.
The aim of this guide is to help managers:
- Understand the importance of their role in smoothing the way for restoring the workplace
- Identify the support tools and available resources
- Intervene in an appropriate fashion when required
Introduction
The definition of “restoring the workplace”
For the purpose of this guide, we are defining “restoring the workplace” as the establishment or re-establishment of harmonious working relationships amongst individuals and within the team, group or unit, following the formal submission of a harassment complaint.
It is acknowledged that restoring the workplace is typically not a quick or easy fix. Each situation must be evaluated individually as the approach will vary depending on the specific circumstances. It is important to note and understand that as a manager, you are not expected to be an expert in restoring the workplace, and nor are you expected to be a specialist in team rebuilding within your organization. You do, however, have a key role to play in leading the way towards restoration of the workplace, which will include following many of the approaches outlined in this guide. As a manager, you play an important role in building a healthy workplace so that everyone can be productive and fulfill operational requirements. There are plenty of appropriate resources you can access to assist you in your objective.
Your Responsibilities
As a manager you are expected to:
- Lead by example and act respectfully in dealings with employees and all other persons who work for, or have interactions with, the Public Service.
- Ensure that employees are aware of the Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution and remind them of the behaviour expected of them under the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector.
- Ensure that preventive activities are in place to foster a harassment-free workplace as suggested in Appendix A to the Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution.
- Intervene promptly when you become aware of improper or offensive conduct and to involve the parties in resolving the problem.
- Address any alleged harassment of which you are aware, whether or not a formal resolution process has been initiated. This applies to situations that involve employees as well as other persons working for the Public Service.
- Handle all alleged harassment situations confidentially and ensure that others act accordingly in order to minimize gossiping and its consequences.
- Address the needs of the parties concerned and the working unit throughout the formal process with the assistance of a specialist as needed such as a Harassment Prevention advisor, Human Resources advisor, Employee Assistance Program counsellor, personal counsellor, or an Informal Conflict Resolution practitioner, in order to establish or re-establish harmonious working relationships.
- Ensure proper record keeping so that no documents relating to the formal process are placed in the personnel file of either party, other than a disciplinary letter in the file of an employee who is subject to a disciplinary measure.
Please note that if the situation involves you, some responsibilities related to restoring the workplace should be handled by your supervisor. This particular situation is also covered later in this guide.
Guiding Principles
The purpose of these guiding principles is to give you a framework for approaching the situation where harassment allegations have been formally submitted in writing.
- Everything you say and do has an impact on an individual and at the group or team level. Everyone involved in the situation will have an opinion; however your responsibility is to remain impartial while managing the situation.
- Keep the channels of communication open. Communication in this regard refers to communicating about how you are managing the situation, and not about discussing the situation. In other words, limit your communication to information about the steps in the resolution process, not the content of the allegations.
- In order to minimize damage to the work environment and protect the integrity of the process, confidentiality needs to be respected and discussions limited to those who need to know such as a Union representative, your supervisor, Harassment Prevention advisor, Human Resources/Labour Relations advisor, person responsible for managing the harassment complaint process, Employee Assistance Program counsellor, personal counsellor, or an Informal Conflict Resolution practitioner. Confidentiality is an important factor that influences the participants' trust and confidence in the resolution process. While absolute confidentiality is the goal, it cannot be guaranteed. Some information may also need to be shared in response to requests for information filed under the Privacy Act or the Access to Information Act.
- Strive to do everything possible to support the wellness of your workplace.
- Demonstrate respect and fairness to your employees.
- Be aware of your own limits and boundaries, and do not hesitate to consult with others or ask for help.
- Wherever possible, be open with your superiors and enlist their assistance in maintaining the balance between operational requirements and the wellbeing of your workforce and workplace.
- Exercise sensitivity towards what the people in your workplace are going through.
- When communicating decisions and actions, frame them in a respectful manner, and wherever possible, include those who have a need to know.
- Group interventions need to be designed in such a way that they will help, not harm, and staff participation in any group interventions should be voluntary including getting their support beforehand whenever possible.
- Support continuous improvement and learning such as on how to have a difficult conversation and on how to resolve conflict in the workplace.
Context
The Parties Involved
In a situation where the formal process has been initiated, you will need to think strategically and take into account the needs of the people involved in the situation, as well as the impact it is having on them. Some examples are provided in the table below.
| Parties Involved | What they want | Impacts |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Management | Wants things to run smoothly, effective resolution of the issues and the re-establishment of a healthy work environment. | Financial and human costs, damage to reputation, loss of productivity. |
| Resources/Support system | Wants to help and provide best advice possible. | Access and availability which are sometimes limited. |
| Complainant | Wants an end to his/her discomfort, to clear his/her reputation, closure and resolution of the issues. | Experiences anger, fear, stress, anxiety, disillusionment, sadness, loss of productivity. |
| Respondent | Wants an end to his/her discomfort, to clear his/her reputation, closure and resolution of the issues. | Experiences anger, fear, stress, anxiety, surprise, disillusionment, sadness, loss of productivity. |
| Team, group or unit | Wants harmonious and respectful workplace. | Experiences confusion and stress; feels obliged to become involved, taking sides; workload issues; loss of productivity. |
| Manager | Wants the situation to be resolved as soon as possible, wants to support the wellness of his/her workplace, wants to meet organizational and operational expectations, ensure harmonious working relationships exist amongst staff, and to have a trusting relationship with staff. | Anxiety, reputation, time-consuming. |
Levels of Intervention
To be effectively and appropriately managed, situations of harassment in the workplace need to be dealt with on three different levels. The formal process is often complex, and as such will require some extra attention to analysis and intervention.
There are three identified levels for your consideration:
| Intervention Level | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 - You (the manager) If you are involved in the complaint refer to your supervisor |
Knowing your limits Knowing what to do or refrain from doing Knowing what resources are available |
| 2 - The parties involved (complainant/respondent) | Respecting their needs and interests Providing support while maintaining impartiality Determining the impact on them |
| 3 - The people impacted (working unit) | Team/group dynamics Promoting positive working relationships and respect for others Communicating with staff about how you are managing the situation Determining what the impact on the work unit is |
Possible Scenarios
This guide is applicable in a number of possible scenarios, such as when:
- The complainant and respondent have the same manager;
- The complainant or respondent have a different manager; and
- The manager is the complainant or respondent. (Please note that if the situation involves you, some responsibilities related to restoring the workplace should be handled by your supervisor.)
For each of these three scenarios, key departmental resources and contacts such as Human Resources/Labour Relations advisors; Harassment Prevention advisors; Informal Conflict Resolution practitioners; Employee Assistance Program counsellors; union representatives etc. can be engaged and utilized throughout the resolution and restoring the workplace processes.
| Scenario | Considerations |
|---|---|
| 1. Complainant and Respondent are part of the same team | Do the parties need to be separated (physically, operationally or both)? Does the reporting relationship need to be altered either temporarily or permanently? If the complainant or respondent is off on leave, does the party who is on leave still want to continue to communicate with you or participate in restoration activities? |
| 2. Complainant and Respondent are not part of the same team (thus involving two managers) | Have you had a discussion with the other manager on how each of you can facilitate the resolution process and/or minimize the impact on the parties and work units? If there is a working relationship between the respondent and complainant, have you determined together if this needs to be altered for the duration of the formal resolution process? Do you have a plan to keep each other up-to-date on any new information/developments as it relates to this situation? |
| 3. Manager is the Complainant or the Respondent | Have you had a discussion with your supervisor on how best to continue managing your team throughout the formal resolution process? Have you determined with your supervisor if your supervisory relationship needs to be altered for the duration of the formal resolution process? |
The process of restoring the workplace
Once the formal resolution process has been initiated, the steps for resolution are clearly structured and well-defined in the Directive on the Harassment Complaint Process and the Guide on Applying the Harassment Resolution Process. This section focuses on what you as a manager can do throughout these steps to smooth the way for and promote the restoration of the workplace.
Intervention Level 1 - Yourself
The first place to start when making decisions about how to handle this situation is with yourself. In most cases you will be expected to continue to meet your management responsibilities and not neglect operational requirements. However, your leadership and emotional well-being during this time will have a direct impact on how your employees and the group as a whole will get through this experience. Although your emotions and reactions to the situation are legitimate, you need to take care of yourself throughout the process so that you can continue supporting your team while managing the situation and meeting operational requirements. The most important thing you can do for yourself at this point is to ensure that you are well-supported, that you have someone to provide you with advice and guidance and that you have somebody to talk to.
| What you can do | Considerations |
|---|---|
| 1. Familiarize yourself with related resources on the prevention and resolution of harassment in the workplace. | Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution Directive on the Harassment Complaint Process Guide on Applying the Harassment Resolution Process Restoring the Workplace – The Manager's Checklist in this guide (Annex A) Preventing and Resolving Harassment in the Workplace – A Guide for Managers |
| 2. Find out who your contacts are other than your supervisor for advice and guidance on this situation and get some professional support in place such as a Human Resources/Labour Relations advisor, Harassment Prevention advisor, Organizational Development specialist, Informal Conflict Resolution practitioner, or an Employee Assistance Program counsellor. | Who is involved in the current situation? At each phase of the process, what type of advice do I require and who would be the best person to offer them? |
| 3. Be attentive to any apprehensions you may have. Get some personal support in place if needed, such as a friend, mentor, coach, counsellor, advisor – anyone whom you respect and who has the knowledge and experience to help and support you through this situation. Important note: This must be done in a way that maintains the confidentiality of the allegations. |
How are you involved in this formal resolution process? What impact does this situation have on you, practically and emotionally? What will you do to address your apprehensions? Have you thought of consulting with the Employee Assistance Program? |
| 4. Identify the business and human rationale for promoting and smoothing the way to restoring the workplace. | What are some specific reasons why you should properly deal with this situation? What are some of the consequences of not properly dealing with this situation? Identify the reasons that will motivate you to act. |
| 5. Identify your plan of action with the assistance of resources identified in point number two above. | What behaviours or tendencies of yours will be helpful or unconstructive in this situation? What are the operational requirements and constraints that may impede your efforts to restore the workplace? What are the risk factors – and how do you plan to mitigate / address these risks? What is your communication strategy? What do you want to learn from this experience? What's next? |
Red Flags:
The following “signs” are indications that you may need to get additional support for yourself. Are you experiencing any of the following?
- Increased stress levels
- Feelings of anger and/or frustration
- Chronic fatigue/loss of sleep
- Illness
- Fear and anxiety
- Loss of enjoyment of work
- Job apathy
- Isolation from friends, family and/or colleagues
If the answer to any of the above is “Yes” or if you are experiencing any other troubling symptoms, then make a plan that identifies the person who may provide you with additional support (i.e. physician, personal counsellor, Employee Assistance Program counsellor, Informal Conflict Resolution practitioner, etc.), how you will access the support, and when it will start.
Intervention Level 2: The Complainant and the Respondent
As a manager, you will be limited in your ability to speak with the complainant and respondent about the harassment allegations in order to maintain the integrity of the formal process. These individuals are nevertheless still under your leadership and you will still need to manage the individuals and the situation (unless one of the party reports to another manager, in which case you might want to involve the other party's manager).
It is crucial that you clearly communicate to the complainant and respondent your intention to support each of them as their manager during this situation.
Note: If you are the manager of the complainant but also of the respondent, the responsibilities outlined in this section should be handled by your supervisor.
| What you can do | Considerations |
|---|---|
Table 1 Notes
|
|
| 1. Develop a strategy to address both short-term and long-term needs of all parties. | Do the parties need to be separated? How are potential workload issues going to be addressed? Is there a need for training, dialogue or awareness sessions? If one of the parties is on sick leave, how should I be communicating with him/her? |
| 2. Offer support and resources, if needed. | Offer regular one-on-one meetings to the complainant and the respondent to check on how they are doing. Demonstrate empathy, commitment and transparency towards employees. Remain impartial. |
| 3. Once the parties have been advised of the outcome of the formal resolution process (i.e. whether the allegations are founded or unfounded), help the parties re-integrate properly – whether or not they have been away on leave. | Discuss the timing and the best way to implement the recommendations/disciplinary actions (if appropriate). Take reasonable steps to recognize the parties' individual needs and ask each of them what they need to help them move forward. Develop and implement re-integration table note 1 * strategies on a case-by-case basis. Discuss the various options for restoring the workplace with the complainant and the respondent, and identify what would need to be in place in order for them to participate. |
Discuss and plan each of these steps with your support person and/or other required specialists. It is also a good idea to access applicable resources such as an Employee Assistance Program counsellor, Informal Conflict Resolution practitioner, etc.
Red Flags:
The following “signs” are indications that you may need to get support for the complainant and/or respondent, over and above what you are already doing to restore the workplace. Since the initiation of the formal resolution process, are you noticing any of the following from the complainant and/or respondent?
- Angry outbursts
- Socially withdrawn
- Often looks sad and/or upset
- Exhibits a pervasive negative attitude
- Increase in absenteeism
- Gossip or rumours that something is wrong
- Loss of enjoyment of work
- Job apathy
If the answer to any of the above is “Yes”, speak to the employee and ensure that they know support is available if needed. If the employee would like some additional support in dealing with the situation, help the employee identify the appropriate resource and point of contact such as an Employee Assistance Program counsellor, Union representative, Informal Conflict Resolution practitioner.
Note: If you are concerned that an employee may harm him or herself or someone else, speak with your Labour Relations advisor or any other appropriate person (i.e. Security, Employee Assistance Program, local authorities, occupational health and safety personnel) immediately so that you can obtain help in managing the situation without delay. Assaults, including sexual assault, are subject to the Criminal Code and such cases should be referred to the police.
Intervention Level 3 – The Team or Group
While the complainant and respondent are the people who are most obviously affected by the formal resolution process, in most cases the situation also has a negative impact on some or all of the people in the team. This juncture is crucial for the restoration of the workplace.
Each situation is different. In some cases the group may not be aware that anything is going on between the parties. In cases where the alleged harassment situation has been contained between the complainant and respondent, a team or group intervention may not be required. It may be more prudent for you to remain sensitive to any changes in group dynamics and to reassess the need for a team or group intervention at that time.
If the group is aware of this situation, even though there may be very little, if anything at all, that can actually be discussed with the group with respect to the formal resolution process, your group members will benefit enormously from knowing that you are supporting them throughout this process, that you are attempting to be sensitive to their needs, and that you are willing to look at ways in which small adjustments can be made or resources brought in, to the group's benefit.
It is important to mention that the consequences of participating in gossip or rumours in the workplace often leads to, among other things, increased conflict, the rupture of working relationships, and a decrease in group morale. It may be necessary to stress the importance of discretion and that such behaviour could also be subject to corrective measures and/or discipline. Individuals in the group may also require support to deal with this situation. Be sensitive to their needs and offer support and external assistance to them if needed.
| What you can do | Considerations |
|---|---|
| 1. Be aware of changes in group dynamics or impacts on the group. | Maintain an open door policy and use your judgment to determine if you need to proceed to the steps listed below. |
| 2. Conduct regular, as-needed “check-in” meetings, to see how things are going. | If needed, plan how you will do this either with your support person, or with an expert. Provide opportunities for employees to express their feelings and expectations regarding the behaviour of other employees and managers in order to create a healthy work environment. You can't afford to ignore the impact of emotions at work. Engage in discussion around the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and your departmental code of conduct. |
| 3. Offer assistance to group members (e.g. union representative, Harassment Prevention advisor, Employee Assistance Program counsellor, Informal Conflict Resolution practitioner, etc.) | See the Resources section of this guide. |
| 4. Determine what would be appropriate to share with the group. | Check with your resources such as Labour Relations, Organizational Development and Access to Information and Privacy. |
| 5. Regularly remind the group of the importance of respect, discretion and not participating in gossip. | Provide information on how to communicate in a respectful and constructive manner in the workplace. Communicate clear expectations as to how to treat others in the workplace. Engage in discussion around the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and your departmental code of conduct |
| 6. Re-establish a respectful workplace | Consider group processes for restoring the workplace, resolving disagreements and transforming conflicts. Reinforce the fact that everyone plays a role in improving the workplace. |
In many ways, everything that you have done up to this point to smooth the way to restoring the workplace culminates at this intervention level. Remember that it is your responsibility to address the needs of the parties concerned and the working unit following the resolution of the formal process, with the assistance of a specialist as needed, in order to foster harmonious working relationships. It may be beneficial for you to work with a specialist (either internal or external) in the area of organizational development due to the specialized knowledge that is needed regarding group dynamics and group developmental stages.
Red Flags:
The following “signs” are indications that you may need to get support for your team or group, over and above what you are already doing to pave the way to restore the workplace. Since the initiation of the formal resolution process, are you noticing any of the following on a group level?
- Increase in complaints and/or grievances
- Threats, reprisals, workplace violence Footnote 1
- Hostility
- Absenteeism
- Employee turnover
- Increased and/or recurring conflict among team members
- Lowered productivity
- Decrease in quality of work
- Lack of social interaction among team members
- Gossip, rumours
- Lack of motivation and employee engagement
- People taking sides (camps are developing)
If the answer to any of the above is “Yes”, then make a plan that identifies the person who will provide the additional support to your employee(s) (e.g. Informal Conflict Resolution practitioner, Employee Assistance Program counsellor, union representative, Organizational Development specialist, etc.), how they will access it, and when it will start.
Implementing the appropriate group process
Restoring the workplace can be facilitated by ensuring a sensitive process of re-integration, choosing an appropriate process to bring the group back together again, and creating a feedback and learning loop. Plan how you will do each of these steps either with your support person, or other specialist, or departmental representative such as your departmental Informal Conflict Resolution practitioner or Organizational Development contact. It is not recommended that you facilitate the group process yourself.
Choosing the Right Person and Group Processes
Group processes should be facilitated by someone who is experienced in working with groups and teams under the following conditionsFootnote 2:
- Harassment allegations
- Serious conflict
- Damaged or broken trust
- Power imbalances
- High levels of emotions
- Fear
- Confusion
- Anger
- Apathy
- Blame and accusations
It should be noted that it is not advisable to use the person who investigated the complaint as the specialist for the group restoring the workplace process.
In addition, you need to ensure that the specialist has experience in at least some of the following group processesFootnote 2:
- Appreciative Inquiry
- Conflict Mapping
- Dialogic Listening
- Graphic Facilitation
- Multi-Party Mediation
- Non-violent Communication (Rosenberg model)
- Story-Telling
- Talking Circle
- TJA/Workplace Conferencing
- Trust-Building
Some questions to ask the specialist:
- How will the complainant/respondent's needs be managed?
- How is the group process chosen?
- What outcome can I expect if I use this process?
- How will you proceed?
- Can it be voluntary?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of the process chosen?
- Who should be involved (union, employees, management, advisors, etc.)?
- How will we know that there has been proper closure to this matter?
- What needs to be considered when planning a re-integration strategy?
- How will we know that the restoration of the workplace has occurred?
- What about follow-up?
- How will progress be measured?
Follow-up and Learning Loop
At this stage, we are assuming that all three intervention levels have been worked through, or are near closure. However there are still two more crucial things to do!
First, you need to ensure that you follow up on the situation in order to ensure that harmonious working relationships have been established or re-established.
Secondly, you need to take a look at what you have learned from this experience, with the primary aim of preventing it from happening again, but also from the perspective of what you would do differently should another harassment allegation be raised through the formal process in the future.
| What you can do | Considerations |
|---|---|
| 1. Build a three month follow-up plan to ensure that the issues related to the allegation(s) have been fully addressed. | Should I offer a separate check-in meeting with the parties involved to ensure that the workplace issues have been addressed? Would this be appropriate given the particular circumstances? What do I need to do to ensure that the issues have been fully addressed and resolved? |
| 2. Identify what you learned from this experience. | What did I learn? What worked? What will I do differently next time? How could the behaviour of my team members contribute to preventing a situation like this from occurring again? Preventing and Resolving Harassment in the Workplace – A Guide for Managers |
| 3. Identify what preventive activities you will implement to reduce the potential for harassment, or perceptions of harassment, occurring in the workplace | Discuss this with your professional support resources. Should I provide ongoing support and coaching to ensure that new skills and approaches are adopted within the office? |
| 4. Assess the situation regularly.
|
What is my follow-up strategy? |
Conclusion
Even though a harassment complaint is a difficult and complex human resource issue, you possess the abilities to make a very positive difference for the people involved and impacted – including yourself! Your natural aptitudes, your training, and your experience, will all go a long way towards smoothing the way for and supporting the restoration of the workplace. This guide exists to help you build on the competencies and knowledge you already possess. It is meant to work with you and for you as you go through this situation. If in addition to using this guide, you follow the recommendations regarding obtaining support person(s), assistance, resources and expertise, and use the tools provided, you will have done the very best that you possibly could. This is something to be proud of, and something that your employees will benefit from enormously.
Resources
- Manager's checklist for restoring the workplace during and after the harassment complaint process (Annex A of this guide)
- Preventing and Resolving Harassment in the Workplace – A Guide for Managers
- Your supervisor
- Informal Conflict Resolution practitioners
- Harassment Prevention advisors
- Designated Officials/persons responsible for managing the harassment complaint process
- Organizational Development advisors
- Employee Assistance Program counsellors
- Union representatives
- Human Resources/Labour Relation advisors
- Values and Ethics advisors
- Applicable National Standing Offers
Annex A - Manager's checklist for Restoring the Workplace during and after the Harassment Complaint Process
| You (the manager) | The parties involved (complainant & respondent) | The people impacted (work unit) |
|---|---|---|
| Familiarize yourself with related resources on the prevention and resolution of harassment in the workplace. | Develop a strategy to address both short-term and long-term needs of all parties. Offer regular one-on-one meetings to the complainant and the respondent to check on how they are doing. | Determine what you may and may not say to the group. |
| Find out who your contacts are for advice and guidance. | Offer support and resources as needed such as regular meetings, Employee Assistance Program, etc. | If appropriate in the circumstances, have regular, as-needed, “check-in” meetings, with the opportunity made for group members to give you confidential feedback. |
| Look at the situation from a strategic point of view. Identify the business and human rationale for promoting and paving the way to restoring the workplace in the wake of this harassment complaint. | Remain impartial. Both parties are entitled to their perception. | Offer assistance to group members such as Employee Assistance Program, Harassment Prevention advisor, Informal Conflict Resolution practitioners etc. |
| Be attentive to any apprehensions you may have. Get some personal support in place if needed. | Be aware that the content of your message is not as important as the fact that you are listening and empathizing in the first place. Everything you say and do has an impact at the individual and group level. | Regularly remind the group of the importance of discretion and non-participation in gossip. |
| Read the Guide on Restoring the Workplace in its entirety, and use the accompanying tools. Access resources as required. | Once the parties have been advised of the outcome of the formal resolution process, ask each person what they need to help them move forward. | Re-establish a respectful workplace by communicating clear expectations as to how to treat each other in the workplace. Reinforce the fact that everyone plays a role in improving the workplace. Make reference to the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and your departmental Code of conduct. |
| Show your rough plan of action (see above) to your support person, get their feedback on it, and refine it further until both of you agree you have a plan to proceed. | Implement re-integration strategies, if applicable. | Provide information on how to communicate in an effective and healthy manner in the workplace. |
| Look for red flags. | If needed, discuss the possibility of a process to restore the group with the complainant and the respondent. Identify what would need to be in place in order for them to participate. | Provide opportunities for employees to express their feelings. You can't afford to ignore the impact of emotions at work. |
| Look for red flags. | Consider group processes for resolving disagreements and transforming conflicts. | |
| Look for red flags. |
Follow-up and learning loop
- Build a six month follow-up plan
- Identify the learning achieved
- Familiarize yourself with harassment prevention and conflict resolution strategies
- Identify what you will do differently next time to prevent the situation from occurring in the first place
- Assess the situation regularly
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