| | 1) Managing work-related violence with training | Author(s): Phil Leather, Antonio Zarola, Angeli Santos Level of Intervention: Secondary | Is the intervention sector specific? | No | Is the intervention usable with different enterprise sizes? | Yes | Is the intervention equally applicable to both genders? | Yes | Is the intervention based on theory? | Yes | Can the intervention approach be adapted/ tailored? | Yes | Does the intervention promote CSR and how? | The method promotes awareness and the active management of workplace violence and the promotion of employee well-being. | Does the intervention promote social dialogue and how?aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa | In assessing training needs and building the training programme, participation of different actors is required. | Overview (including risk assessment and law – legal requirements etc.):
Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is a structured approach through which an analysis of incidents, a risk assessment and an examination of legal matters are conducted. Specifically, TNA seeks to address several key aspects when examining violence and bullying in the workplace: 1) exposure to violence, what forms of violence there are; 2) what factors make exposure more likely; 3) vulnerabilities (location, day or night, working alone etc.); 4) the existence of trigger factors and antecedents for violence, learning from employee experience; 5) what is the overall impact of exposure; and 6) how can this impact be changed through coping, managing situations, support etc. Targeting training needs aims to increase both individual and organisational skills, for instance communication, de-escalation and physical intervention skills. Other important topics central to training are knowledge of the nature of violence, violence effects and policies. Following training, staff should feel more capable in front of violence; both in terms of individual capability (employee's own efforts) and collective capability (all community members working together against violence).
| Implementation: Assessment of training needs can be done in several ways: firstly, through incident report forms; secondly, investigations of the antecedents; and finally, consequences of specific incidents and legislative requirements. When designing training, four aspects are of central importance: (1) investigation and assessment of training needs; (2) actual training design; (3) delivering the training; (4) evaluation of the training.
Several trainer competencies are required to successfully conduct TNA: 1) knowledge, 2) translation from theory to practice, 3) drive to train and empower people, 4) facilitation that helps to build cooperation and change, 5) managing the learning environment for people. | Practical applications: This approach has been successfully used in the public and private sectors in the UK. However, the TNA approach can be used in variety of occupational sectors and sizes of enterprises. The successful implementation of the training requires a highly skilled trainer. | Innovative aspects: This approach provides very precise training guidance for managing violence with a concentrated focus on its effective management. It has also been scientifically evaluated. | Evaluation (including process issues, outcomes and sustainability):
The evaluation of the training package seeks to address whether the training made a difference and how, whether it is effective in delivering its intended outcomes, and if legal matters are taken into sufficiently into consideration. This was accomplished by conducting a comparative assessment of those individuals participating in the training, and a comparison group that received the same procedure but without the actual training. Measurements were taken prior to training, directly following and with a longer term follow up.
| Benefits (including cost effectiveness):
Overall the evaluation of the training package was successful in terms of the prevention and, management of workplace violence. Positive impact has been judged in terms of the degree of change, pre to post training, in a range of outcomes namely, fear of violence, anxiety about violence and perceived capability to respond to and manage difficult situations.
| References: Leather, P., Zarola, A. & Santos, A.(2006). Building Quality Approaches to Work-Related Violence. Training: Pillars of Best practice In S. McIntyre and J. Houdmont (Eds.) Occupational Health Psychology, European Perspectives on research , education and practice(pp.205-232). Castelo da Maia, Portugal: ISMAI.
Beech B. & Leather P (2006). Workplace violence in the health care sector: A review of staff training and integration of training evaluation models. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 11 (1), 27-43. | Comments: This approach introduces the pillars of best practice for work-related violence training. |
| 2) Crisis and Aggression, Limitation and Management (CALM) training - a training programme on aggression management | Author(s): J. Perkins.& D. Leadbetter Level of Intervention: Secondary | Is the intervention sector specific? | No | Is the intervention usable with different enterprise sizes? | Yes | Is the intervention equally applicable to both genders? | Yes | Is the intervention based on theory? | Yes | Can the intervention approach be adapted/ tailored? | No | Does the intervention promote CSR and how? | The intervention was not explicitly linked to responsible business practices although it does promote safety in the workplace and employee well-being. | Does the intervention promote social dialogue and how?aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa | No, the intervention did not promote social dialogue. | Overview (including risk assessment and law – legal requirements etc.):
The CALM (Crisis, Aggression, Limitation and Management) training programme is an approach to aggression management that employs an ecological perspective which views aggression as an interaction between individual pathology and the environment. CALM promotes an approach to behavioural control based on the systematic analysis and assessment of the underlying mechanisms of behaviour and assumes that a whole organisation approach, involving policy development and staff support are key determinants of workplace safety.
| Implementation:
The CALM model includes a hierarchical five-level system of physical intervention training based on non-aversive principles with a last resort emphasis. It promotes an approach to behavioural control, based on the systematic analysis and assessment of the underpinning functions of behaviour. Training involves of a 2-day physical intervention programme.
| Practical applications:
According to the authors, the CALM model is used by many Scottish councils as well as a range of other organisations across the UK.
| Innovative aspects: The CALM philosophy rejects the popular notion that individual staff competence is the sole determinant of safe practice, and alternatively promotes the notion that safe practice requires a coherent agency approach. Consequently, the CALM training programme is based on a “systems” or “whole organisation” approach aimed to ensure effective action at all levels of the organisation. | Evaluation (including process issues, outcomes and sustainability):
Evaluation of CALM training was conducted in education settings in Scotland with school children that had severe and complex learning difficulties. The study was set to examine the appropriateness of the CALM system for use in educational settings. A questionnaire was developed to explore staff stress, coping styles and attitudes towards the use of physical intervention. There were pre-training, post-training and 6 month follow-up stages. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. A random sample was gathered including all ages and one employee per school class. In addition to interviews and the questionnaire administration, researchers also used school logbook data regarding violence incidents.
| Benefits (including cost effectiveness):
The evaluation of the CALM method demonstrated that staff acquired a deeper knowledge of the physical intervention techniques immediately following the initial training session. At six month follow-up this knowledge had diminished slightly. The majority of staff reported increased confidence as a result of the training. The use of verbal de-escalation techniques demonstrated a significant increase. The theory module developed increased awareness of legal aspects relating to the use of physical restraint interventions. There was increased willingness to intervene into potentially violent situations.
| References:
Perkins, J. & Leadbetter D (2002). An evaluation of aggression management training in a special educational setting. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 7(1,) 19-34
| Comments: From staff self-report measures, stress levels and psychological coping strategies had not altered in any way. The lack of supporting action by school and departmental managers was identified as a key inhibiting factor. Trained staff got the reputation of being more of an expert than other employees in violent situations (which is not always a good thing). Every employee should have confidence and authority to intervene into possibly dangerous situations. |
| 3) Managing violence on the railways - the inspection method | Author(s): Claire Dickinson and Jeremy Bevan Level of Intervention: Primary | Is the intervention sector specific? | Yes | Is the intervention usable with different enterprise sizes? | Yes | Is the intervention equally applicable to both genders? | Yes | Is the intervention based on theory? | No | Can the intervention approach be adapted/ tailored? | Yes | Does the intervention promote CSR and how? | This method encourages management to take better care of employees' safety on the UK railways | Does the intervention promote social dialogue and how?aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa | Inspections were carried out by inspectors and the deficiencies identified were resolved through active discussions in the workplace. | Overview (including risk assessment and law – legal requirements etc.): The inspections-intervention was part of Health and Safety Executive's 3-year programme on work-related violence. A series of targeted inspections were made on the UK railways. Inspectors considered arrangements and measures for managing and preventing work-related violence in train operating companies. Inspections considered risk assessments, reporting measures and investigation reports; and evaluated the preventive, protective and response measures in place. The deficiencies identified were resolved.
In the railways, experience of violence is an everyday experience for some employees, especially verbal abuse. Inspections-interventions were targeted to include individuals in jobs where risk for violence was the greatest. Incident statistics of the companies were used to identify the key worker groups at risk. | Implementation:
Three case situations were in focus: 1) the company’s response to violence being repeatedly directed towards a particular group or individual, all of whom were contractors, 2) recurring violence at one location, and 3) violence directed towards train operating company employees. A checklist for preventing and addressing work-related violence was used. Discussions about violence problems in focus group sessions were conducted.
| Practical applications:
The method has been used in the UK railways.
| Innovative aspects: Use of mixed methods to ensure the development of good quality guidance. | Evaluation (including process issues, outcomes and sustainability):
Semi-structured interviews with operational staff, their supervisors and managers were conducted. Additionally, a review and evaluation of the train operating company policy, arrangements, procedures, measures and processes for measurement and auditing performance was conducted. Different measures to protect employees from violence were planned. Each train operating company’s complete safety case was considered including policy.
| Benefits (including cost effectiveness): Improvements were sought in: · the arrangements for contractors, · more actions to ensure verbal abuse reporting, · more training to avoid confrontation · the need to arrange refresher training, · more initiatives with safety representatives, · understanding what measures have impact, · site-specific risk-assessments: that are usable, updated and reflect the reality, · the update of the quality of control measures.
A number of deficiencies were identified as a result, the most serious of which concerned the arrangements and measures in place for contract staff employed in checking tickets or in security activities.
It was also seen vital to ensure that train operating companies are: (a) fully aware of the size of violence problems, (b) using reporting systems that are flexible to ensure that maximum data are captured with minimum effort, and (c) using risk assessments that are suitable and sufficient, and incorporate local factors such as lone working. | References:
Dickinson, C. & Bevan, J. (2005). Managing violence on the railways. Applied Ergonomics, 36 (6), 729-738.
| Comments: In the article there is a check list for good practice |
| 4) Management training - management interventions to reduce negative behaviour and bullying at work | Author(s): Helge Hoel, Sabir Giga and Brian Faragher Level of Intervention: Tertiary | Is the intervention sector specific? | No | Is the intervention usable with different enterprise sizes? | Yes | Is the intervention equally applicable to both genders? | Yes | Is the intervention based on theory? | Yes | Can the intervention approach be adapted/ tailored? | Yes | Does the intervention promote CSR and how? | Yes, the intervention is directed at management, and directly focuses on increasing the commitment and responsibility of managers in addressing bullying at work. | Does the intervention promote social dialogue and how?aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa | The intervention does not directly promote social dialogue. | Overview (including risk assessment and law – legal requirements etc.):
This management training intervention was implemented in five public organisations: three health trusts, one police force and one governmental organisation. Training was directed particularly at managers. Targeting managers was considered to be the most cost effective method as managers are in many ways key persons in the management of bullying at work and in shaping organisational climate. The training programmes focussed on different key issues that included policy communication, stress management training and negative behaviour awareness training.
| Implementation:
Three different bullying training programmes were used: 1) Policy communication; training time 30 minutes, 2) Stress management training programme; training time 3 hours, and 3) Negative behaviour awareness training programme; training time 3 hours.
About 20-25 managers (and other employees) were invited to attend the respective training sessions in all organisations. During the project, the Bullying Risk Assessment Tool (BRAT) was developed to measure potential risk factors of bullying. The tool examines the following themes: organisational fairness, team conflict, role conflict, workload and leadership. | Practical applications:
The management intervention was carried out in five organisations, demonstrating its practical applicability across a wide variety of occupational sectors and sizes of enterprises. Additionally, a trained psychologist is required to conduct the training programmes. | Innovative aspects: This was the first academic anti-bullying intervention study which included different organisational contexts and different variations of interventions. Additionally, through this study the BRAT risk assessment tool was developed. | Evaluation (including process issues, outcomes and sustainability): The interventions were evaluated by means of participant feedback at the end of the training sessions and six months afterwards, by pre and post intervention surveys and feedback from post-intervention focus groups. The time lag between the pre- and post- surveys was 6 months.
In order to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention programmes and validity of the risk-assessment tool, a comprehensive questionnaire comprising of questions related to experiences of bullying and negative behaviour, and potential risk-factors of bullying was used. The questionnaire survey allowed the comparison of pre- and post- training data.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the different training programmes, five study groups were formed: 1) control group, 2) policy communication group, that received only policy communication training, 3) policy and stress management group, that received both policy communication training and stress management training, 4) policy and negative behaviour awareness group, that received policy communication training and Negative Behaviour awareness training and 5) a final group that was trained with all three training programmes. Additionally, trainers' feedback was collected following each session. | Benefits (including cost effectiveness):
Based on the results of the assessment, positive outcomes were achieved. Improvements were found in 45% of experiment groups. The results indicated that the combination of all three interventions (policy communication, stress management, and negative behaviour awareness training programme) together led to best results.
| References: Hoel, H. & Giga, S. (2006). Destructive Interpersonal Conflict in the Workplace: The Effectiveness of Management Intervention, The University of Manchester, Manchester Business School. Retrieved from http://www.bohrf.org.uk/downloads/bullyrpt.pdf. | Comments: A key success factor for the implementation of the intervention is stability, having a proper team to work with systematically and take responsibility, and management commitment. One key challenge was how to get some specific people to actively participate and, moreover, to attend the training sessions. |
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