In pairs reflect on the interpersonal conflicts you may have experienced, witnessed or heard about in the workplace and make a list of anti-social behaviours that occur in the workplace Consider if gender contributed to this conflict? Consider if power played a role in the conflict? If yes, then what power sources were being used. What is the potential effect on witnesses and what could they say or do?

Exercise 2

 Within small groups reflect on the contributing factors to workplace bullying and brainstorm three strategies at each level (i.e., individual, group and organizational) that you could use to address, and potentially reduce or prevent, workplace bullying.

Exercise 3

Judy receives a call from her old university friend Jan, who is now working as a support worker. Jan, in tears, relates to Judy the mean things her boss has been doing to her. He was nice enough when she first arrived at her job last year, but now he has become unbearable. Jan listed some of the things he had done that week:

‘On Monday, he came in to work and told me in front of everyone that I was too slow and that I dragged down the whole department. The rest of the week he spent glaring at me each time he passed me in the hall. He threw a huge temper tantrum when I did not have a report ready two days before it was due. I snapped back and unfortunately that seemed to inflame the situation. I later found out that there had been a meeting involving all the support workers that he failed to tell me about.

I even heard a rumor that I was sleeping with a client, and I am certain he started it. I just don’t know what to do and who to turn to, especially as those around me just seem to keep their heads down. What do you think, Judy?’

 Discuss how the issues raised in this scenario could be addressed using the strategies discussed in Exercise 2.