Office Bullying and Harassment Policy Volume 2013 2nd Edition | Page 48

• The supervisor should follow up with Mei and Jenny separately. If it seems that Jenny blames Mei for her actions, or that Mei was the only one who showed interest in resolving the problem or changing her behaviour, it could be a sign that Jenny is trying to maintain power over Mei. The supervisor should address this directly with Jenny. • If Mei and Jenny find a mutually satisfactory way to work together, the supervisor should check in regularly with each of them individually. This should take place for a reasonable amount of time following the incident, to ensure the problem does not recur. • The supervisor should be aware that Jenny might move onto a new target after Mei, so he or she should monitor the situation accordingly. Sometimes workers who have had a conversation about being an alleged bully will retaliate by accusing the supervisor of bullying them. If this occurs, the supervisor should invite the worker to follow organizational procedures and comply with any resulting investigation. 34 Toward a respectful workplace