This week, the Anti-Bullying and Harassment work group has put together a series of daily questions which were presented in the central café area. These questions were aimed to spark lively discussions, as they confront Dunn Schoolers with their own behaviour under common situations, and to make them reflect on their role in assuring a positive working environment for others. Some of the questions were: “You know that repeated joke about your colleague that you always find funny? How do you ensure your colleague continues to find the joke as funny as you do?” or “Can you remain an innocent bystander if you notice your colleague struggling with unreasonable demands from your supervisor or other colleagues?”
Another step the department is taking as a part of its commitment to the subject is establishing a tailor-made workshop about prevention of bullying and harassment in academia, in which all the group leaders will attend in the autumn.
In addition Dunn Schoolers from different academic status, as well as administration staff, have volunteered to serve as anti-bullying advisers. They are happy to provide confidential advice, whether it’s by offering advice on how to resolve the issues raised, explaining the available options (formal and informal), or simply offer support.
Much of this was made possible thanks to the dedication of Dr Martin Reichardt, a postdoc in the department. Until recently, Martin has chaired the departmental Anti-Bullying and Harassment work group and initiated many activities to promote a good working environment. He says: “At the Dunn School, we take bullying and harassment very seriously, and at every level people are working to counter these issues. It is not easy to handle, but we have realised that continuously raising awareness is what will drive a positive change in culture. Therefore, we keep informing of the many ways people can receive help (completely confidentially), and we keep iterating that “the Dunn School CAN help you if you’re feeling bullied”. If you feel something is wrong, speak to someone!!”.
Having recently stepped down from chairing, Martin’s large shoes will now be filled by Dr Emily Furlong, a new postdoc in the Dunn School.
Written by Shaked Ashkanazi