© 2024 Andrea Adams Consultancy
Creating a better CULTURE
We undertook diagnostic research into the results of bullying and harassment questions in the Civil Service People Survey which suggested that that bullying and harassment was occurring in one large department. We undertook an online survey, focus groups, one to ones and presented findings. Working collaboratively, we made recommendations for action which were implemented including Dignity at Work Training for managers and staff. These packages were Dignity at Work Foundation, Confident People and Confident Manager.
Preparation
In the first instance, on commissioning, we arranged to meet with key personnel in the organisation to obtain detailed understanding of their requirements, the current landscape and produced a project plan. Once this was approved, we commenced work on full design. We developed strong links with personnel so that we were able to achieve our mutual objectives. Setting out clear milestones and check points was a key element of the project success i.e. clarity of delivery and measurability. We regularly liaised on logistical items and became a trusted partner to the organisation – escalating issues where necessary.
Delivery
The delivery fell into three areas. Two diagnostic pieces, 12 months apart where we surveyed staff about their experiences in the Department, undertook focus groups nationally and sourced a telephone advice line for a period of two weeks. Individuals raised issues with us as an independent consultancy and some significant issues were uncovered in the first diagnostic. This could then be addressed via an action plan. The third aspect of our work was the design and delivery of training for all managers and employees in the department. Regular communications by us ensured high response rates to the survey.
Management and Quality Items
The feedback from these sessions, based not only on evaluation forms but anecdotal information and reported changes in behaviour, has been exceptional. In the subsequent resurvey, there was a significant jump in increased confidence in managers acting when issues are escalated and a significant rise in the numbers of staff who reported proactively challenging inappropriate behaviours. In the evaluation returns we were achieving ratings of over 95% effectiveness for delivery and presentation and the same for effectiveness of meeting the learning objectives.
Outcomes
LEADING by example
The leadership of any organisation, and their individual and collective behaviour, is critical to obtaining and maintaining Respect at Work. Without role modelling of behaviours and putting Respect at the heart of any strategic direction, any initiatives are likely to be met with lack of trust and engagement. Below are just a couple of examples of work we have undertaken in the Leadership pillar of Respect at Work.
Board and Executive Training
We undertook Board and Executive training for a client who was rolling out a wide programme of training across the business to enable and encourage early action. It was key to the success of this programme that messaging and action was endorsed from the top to maximise engagement. The session was extremely successful and resulted in continued and consistent messaging and behaviour change to encourage culture change.
Consultancy feedback
We designed and delivered a programme of overseas training for an international client. During delivery it became apparent from the feedback from participants that there were issues with the behaviour of some of the senior staff leading the organisation. As part of our consultancy role we prepared comprehensive feedback and worked with them to focus on future actions at this level of the organisation. This feedback enabled the organisation to rethink the order of future training interventions and plans to address leadership behaviours before progressing further with their programme.
Leadership Coaching
Following one diagnostic intervention we identified there were several named leaders who staff perceived were demonstrating bullying or harassing behaviours. This feedback may or may not have been grounded in reality. However, perceptions were there and not addressing them may have been problematic for moving forward on the journey to Respect. We undertook one to one coaching with senior leaders to feedback the staff perceptions and to help them work through this feedback and consider alternative behaviours/ actions.
SUPPORTING in hard times
We have demonstrated our ability to provide large volume, quality investigation services to a high profile client over a two-year period. In this time, we undertook around 100 investigations, often complex and sensitive in nature. We worked with the client to develop their processes, had good working relationships, effectively managed the contract and delivered consistently to an extremely high standard.
Investigation Skills Training
We designed and delivered training for four cohorts of managers from a global financial services organisation. (Two-day programmes). An interactive programme which involved following a grievance from submission, through to investigation interviews with complainant and respondent to reviewing full witness statements, to then weighing evidence and report writing. This course received great feedback from managers who attended and some soundbites from the feedback are included below. This approach used actors adopting the characters in the grievance and gave the participants ‘hands on’ practical learning of an end to end investigation process.
‘Such an interesting interactive course, with 20 years HR and 10 years in working here, I have learned so much over the course of the two days. Thank you for providing feedback throughout the two days. It’s been insightful.’
‘Brilliant course! Thoroughly enjoyed it. Can’t wait to put into practice. Thank you.’
‘Really enjoyable course with fantastic insight. The actors brought it to life and made the learning even more valuable. Thank you.’
‘A great course to attend to help frame investigations better. Thought provoking to help change the way we handle D@W investigations and change in the culture.’
‘The structure to the whole thing was really helpful demonstrating how important the investigation is.’
‘What a fantastic course. Very informative. Really helpful in allowing learning that can be applied in practice. The trainer was extremely knowledgeable in her area of expertise.’
‘Well that was up there with the best courses I’ve been on for content and continually.’
‘Stretching and challenging me. Great presentation, great people, great venue and great learning. Yes, I did really enjoy it! Many thanks.’
Positive MANAGEMENT
We have delivered numerous training courses, in various sectors, to help managers recognise and practically deal with inappropriate workplace behaviour.
Public Sector Organisations
Following feedback from staff surveys we have delivered management training for two public sector organisations as part of their programme of addressing inappropriate workplace behaviour. In one example, we trained 1500 managers in a tailored ‘Confident Manager’ programme. We used bespoke videos to assist in providing practical, close to ‘real life’ examples of situations that managers might encounter. This programme is noted in more detail in the ‘People’ case study as it ran in conjunction with training over 5000 staff. The net result was a shift in culture and common understanding across the business of what behaviours were acceptable or not and how these should be addressed early through proactive action.
In another example, (see ‘Culture’ case study) we used actors within the training environment to equip around 150 managers with ‘live’ practice in how to address inappropriate behaviours. Again, 12 months later, the results showed increased trust in the organisation and its managers’ ability to effectively address bullying and harassment within the workplace.
Non-Departmental Public Body
We worked with this organisation to train 70 managers to practically deal with inappropriate behaviour, again using actors in the training.
Some of the feedback received included:
‘Thought provoking, really good course.’
‘Very useful. Encouraged debate.’
‘Very helpful, complex, great to have structures to follow.’
‘The use of actors was excellent and really helped to develop the learning by bringing it to life for participants.’
‘Really helpful and practical.’
‘A really well-presented and structured course. ‘
‘Really engaging session and welcome more of their trainer style and approach in future sessions.’
‘Great training, lots of examples that helped. Really good having real life examples demonstrated.
Thank you. ‘
‘Really good session. Flew by and learnt a lot.’
‘Engaging presenter. Very informative, actors excellent and very useful content. Thanks.’
NHS
This NHS Trust rolled out our management training for all its managers to help them adopt a more proactive approach and develop confidence in acting early where behaviours fell short. The HR team had identified a reluctance to act quickly and it was established that managers were unsure where lines got crossed, didn’t feel they knew enough about the subject, and were worried about reprisals if they acted. The courses were extremely successful with a 96% effectiveness score in all learning objectives. The organisation went on to establish Contact Officers (Harassment Advisers) to help encourage more early action and offer support internally. We designed and delivered this training and have provided regular refresher training for many years.
Emergency Services
We undertook a large diagnostic for an Emergency Services organisation which established that there were perceptions of a bullying culture with a real sense of a ‘them and us’ culture between staff and managers. We rolled out both management training and one to one leadership coaching which all helped the organisation progress on its journey to Respect at Work.
Bringing PEOPLE together
We worked with a national organisation to design bespoke training to tackle inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. The organisation had results from a staff survey to suggest that there were perceptions around bullying and harassment occurring in the organisation.
We designed a ‘Building Respect in the Workplace’ package and then a bespoke programme for Managers, ‘Confident Manager’. We first undertook a period of consultation with the organisation, going to various divisions within the organisation and talking to staff to get a feel for the issues and clearly establish the behaviours which needed to change. The training included bespoke videos, scripted and cast by us and then filmed with our partner production company at various locations within the organisation. The feedback from participants on the course was that the videos really resonated, and they could recognise situations they might experience.
We trained 5000 staff on Building Respect and 1500 managers on Confident Manager. We also worked with the organisation to produce a package of seminars to take back to the workplace to ‘Continue the Conversations’. We continue to work with this organisation training their new recruits and managers. True commitment to Respect at Work and an acknowledgement that everyone in the organisation must have the same message, the same awareness.
We will let the CEO’s words reflect how successful this programme was:
‘We are coming to the end of a marathon programme aimed at helping build respect in the workplace. With over 5000 people having been on the programme I would like to give huge praise to Andrea Adams Consultancy and in particular Alison Twist for guiding us on our journey. With 48 pages of narrative comments, of which the following are just a few, feedback from colleagues has been outstanding.’
‘This is a great course that would go a long way in improving relations at work and life in general.’
‘The course was delivered in an interactive and also fun way.’
‘Course leader had a strong idea of building respect and was very knowledgeable.’
‘Best course I have attended in 10 years and I mean that.’
‘I came into the course expecting to be wasting my day. I learnt a huge amount and it was a day in no way wasted.’