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Innovation in Learning

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BUSINESS ISSUES

Workplace bullying Lesson code: KCA2-X8MB-BU63-G

UPPER INTERMEDIATE +

1 Warm-up What is bullying the workplace? What examples of bullying can you think of?

2 Key words Complete the definitions below: allegation

anxiety

belittle

1. If you suffer from

berate

ruling

tribunal

upheld

, you are very worried about something.

is an official court or group of people whose job is to deal with a particular problem 2. A or disagreement. 3. A

is an official decision make by a court of law.

4. If a decision is decision.

by a court, the court agrees with it and accepts it as the correct

5. If you make an , you say that someone has done something wrong or illegal, but there is no proof yet that this is true. 6. If you

somebody, you say they are not very important or good.

7. If you

somebody, you speak to them in an angry way.

3 Find the information You are going to read about a case of workplace bullying at an Australian estate agency. Find the following information from the text. 1. How many allegations of bullying did the victim make? 2. What health problems did she complain about that were a result of the bullying? 3. What incident started the bullying? 4. What incident took place just before she went on leave from work? 5. How long had she been bullied for?

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6. Which different bullying behaviours are mentioned in the article?

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Workplace bullying A

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Unfriending your colleagues on Facebook ruled bullying Unfriending an employee ruled as part of 'bullying' behaviour by employee tribunal 1 Unfriending an employee on Facebook can in some cases be workplace bullying, an Australian tribunal has found. 2 The ruling came after Rachael Roberts, an estate agent in Launceston, Tasmania, complained to Australia's the Fair Work Commission that her colleague Lisa Bird was bullying her, leaving her with anxiety and depression. She made 18 allegations of bullying in total. 3 Ms Rachel said that following an argument about a sale loss, her properties were no longer displayed in the window, photocopies were distributed to colleagues but not her, and she was no longer greeted in the morning.

incidents of unreasonable behaviour", of which unfriending Ms Roberts on Facebook was counted as one. Nine other allegations were upheld by the tribunal. 7 The deputy president of the commission, Nicole Wells, said in her decision that the unfriending showed "a lack of emotional maturity" on Mrs Bird's part that had made Ms Roberts unwell. 8 But employment lawyer Josh Bornstein told ABC news the unfriending incident was found to be workplace bullying in the context of several other issues.

4 When she approached Mr Bird, the head of the agency and Mrs Bird's husband, about the issues his wife reportedly called her into a meeting and said she was a "naughty little schoolgirl running to the teacher".

9 "What the Fair Work Commission did find is that a pattern of unreasonable behaviour, hostile behaviour, belittling behaviour over about a two-year period, which featured a range of different behaviours including berating, excluding and so on, constituted workplace bullying," he said.

5 After this exchange in January 2015, Ms Roberts found that Mrs Bird had unfriended her on Facebook. She was then signed off work by a psychologist, Sky News reports.

10 Under the Fair Work Act, the tribunal can order the employer and employee to hold a meeting about anti-bullying orders, but cannot impose compensation.

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Adapted from The Independent, 25 September 2015, by Jess Staufenberg

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6 In a workplace bullying incident, the Fair Work Commission must find evidence of "repeated

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4 Checking understanding Put T (True) or F (False) next to each of the statements below. 1. The estate agency wasn't sympathetic to Rachael's complaints. 2. Nine allegations of bullying were upheld by the tribunal. 3. One incident of bullying is enough for a tribunal to rule that there has been bullying in the workplace. 4. The Fair Work Commission couldn't find any evidence of repeated bullying. 5. Unfriending somebody on Facebook is considered to be workplace bullying. 6. Rachael Roberts' employer will have to pay her a sum of money after the tribunal hearing.

5 Find the words Find a word or phrase in the article which means... 1. officially decided by a court of law (verb -ed, TITLE) 2. according to what somebody said (adverb, P4) 3. officially asked her to a attend a meeting (phrase, P4) 4. given a medical certificate saying that someone is too ill to work (phrase, P5) 5. unfriendly (adjective, P9) 6. give someone an instruction that they must obey (verb, P10) Give your own examples of these words/phrases.

6 Talking point Discuss any of the points below. 1. Do you think unfriending someone on Facebook is workplace bullying? 2. Do you think Rachael was right to complain? 3. Have you witnessed workplace bullying? 4. Do you think employees might exaggerate the problem? Why? 5. Do you think workplace bullying affects business? How?

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6. What measures do you think could prevent bullying in the workplace?

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Workplace bullying - Key A

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1- Warm-up Workplace bullying is officially defined as repeated, health-harming, mistreatment of one or more persons by one or more perpetrators. Brainstorm ideas, e.g. repeated unfair criticism, threatening, verbal abuse, work interference, etc. 2- Key words Give examples where appropriate.

1. anxiety

2. tribunal

3. ruling

4. upheld

5. allegation 6. belittle

7. berate

3- Find the information Students can work individually and check in pairs. Go through the answers with the class.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

18 anxiety, depression an argument over a sale she was unfriended on Facebook 2 years being unfriended on Facebook, exclusion (her properties were no longer displayed in the window, photocopies were distributed to colleagues but not her, and she was no longer greeted in the morning), berating

4- Checking understanding Students can work individually and check in pairs. Go through the answers with the class.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

T F - 10 including unfriending on Facebook (P6) F - there must be evidence of repeated behaviour F - there was a pattern of unreasonable behaviour F - only in the context of other bullying behaviour F - by law the tribunal cannot impose compensation

5- Find the words Students can work individually and check in pairs. Go through the answers with the class.

1. ruled 4. signed off work

2. reportedly 5. hostile

3. called her into a meeting 6. order

6- Talking point

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Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.

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You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex

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Encourage a discussion.

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