Respect in the Workplace

Regardless of your industry, what you do, or where you work in Canada, a respectful workplace is every employee’s right. All Canadian workers have a responsibility to support a positive work environment that is free of abusive behaviour and bullying.

Disrespect takes many forms ranging from rudeness and incivility in the workplace to bullying, psychological abuse, and even violence. Many people think that respect is the absence of disrespectful conduct, but it is actually deliberate and thoughtful action on its own. Exercising kindness and empathy, being polite, listening to others, and being considerate of time and resources are all examples of mutual respect in the workplace.

Why Respect in the Workplace Training Matters

Consider the following:

• In a survey of nearly 4,900 workers, the Canadian Labour Congress found 65% of respondents reported experiencing a form of non-sexual harassment or violence, and 26.5% reported experiencing some form of work-related online harassment.
• 70% of those who said they experienced harassment or violence had to miss work due to negative effects of their experience.

In Canada, a “safe workplace” means a physically and psychologically safe work environment. Provinces, territories, and the Federal Government began to recognize workplace violence and other abusive behaviour as an occupational risk in the 1990’s. As the damaging effects of psychological abuse (harassment and bullying) became more apparent and proven, occupational legislation expanded to include this type of conduct as a risk to worker safety. Today, workplace respect is legally mandated through federal and provincial/territorial laws.

Including workplace respect as a component of workplace safety training confirms for employees that civility and respect in the workplace are valued and taken seriously by their employer.  Employers who do not put measures in place to promote a respectful workplace culture risk:

About Our Respect in the Workplace Training

Corridor’s Respect in the Workplace Training brings new clarity and insights to the importance of respecting each other at work. It answers the question: why does it matter? The course leads learners through the broad spectrum of unacceptable behaviours that workers at all levels need to be aware of and know how to address.

Learners will understand what is and what is not respectful behaviour in the workplace, and the differences between disrespect, bullying, and harassment. While disrespect is not always intentional, it can still have damaging psychological and physical effects on individuals and groups. If left unchecked, it can lead to an overall toxic, unproductive, and unhappy work environment. The course provides an opportunity for every team member to take a moment and consider their communication and interaction with others.

Download Course Overview

Respect in the Workplace Training Course Outline

1. Introduction: A discussion about “respect” in general, what it is, and why it matters in the workplace.
2. Defining Workplace Disrespect: A close look at the wide range of disrespectful behaviours and how to respond in situations of disrespect.
3. When Disrespect Becomes Bullying or Harassment: What to do when a person’s behaviour escalates to bullying or harassment. This module also covers the difference between performance management and bullying; strategies to address online bullying; and responding to sexual harassment.
4. The Extreme Case of Workplace Violence: Incidents of workplace violence still occur in today’s workplaces. How to de-escalate violent situations and protect yourself. This module also looks at domestic violence and how it can become a workplace issue.
5. Workplace Disrespect and the Law: Disrespectful behaviour is an occupational risk. What are an employer’s obligations to support a safe and respectful workplace? An explanation of the laws and legislation in Canada that protect all workers from abuse in the workplace. 
6. Course Summary / Final Exam: A review of key learning points from the course and a final exam to confirm understanding of the course material.

This course will move people towards a greater awareness of what a respectful workplace culture is and reinforce the behaviours that make a positive difference.

Who is Respect in the Workplace Training For?

This industry-neutral course is appropriate for workers at all levels, from executives and company leaders to supervisors, employees, contractors, and volunteers. It is designed for all Canadian employees, in any province or territory, to ensure a consistent understanding of respectful conduct across workplaces nationwide. Everyone should understand what respectful conduct looks like and how it differs from disrespectful conduct so they can make conscious choices on their behaviour in the workplace.

Learning how to recognize harassment and bullying at work is an essential component of workplace safety training. This training works for any size of organization, from large, decentralized companies to localized work crews, small business, entrepreneurs, and independent contractors. However big or small your team is, equip them with the knowledge and confidence they need to support their own well-being and that of their coworkers.

Key Benefits of Respect in the Workplace Training

While Corridor’s Respect in the Workplace Training meets an employer’s legal obligation to promote a safe and respectful work environment, it also educates employees on their rights and responsibilities in this area. Many employees still do not understand that bullying at work is not ok and should not be tolerated. Studies show that employees who feel respected are happier in their jobs, are more productive, and are less likely to miss work or leave a job prematurely.

Respect in the Workplace can be customized for your company or organization:

• Incorporate relevant corporate policies and procedures.
• Tailor content so it fits your company’s unique needs, challenges, and specific work situations.
• Include corporate branding and images to make the course fit with other online training and internal communication materials.

Respect in the Workplace Training Program Features

Corridor delivers robust and thorough training in a format suitable for many different learning styles. Respect in the Workplace features include:

• Easy-to-understand language in a conversational style.
• Optional text-to-speech audio track for people who prefer to listen to the content rather than read it.
• Scroll-based format with supporting images, graphics, and interactive exercises to keep learners engaged.
• Regular course updates provided by Corridor’s Subject Matter Expert, Glenn French , to ensure learners have the most current information and resource materials at their fingertips.
• Ongoing access to course content for 12-months from the date of purchase, regardless of when the course is completed. Learners can visit the Course Resources Library, exercises, and knowledge checks as often as they like!
• Flexibility to complete your course at the office, on the road, or at home. Respect in the Workplace is mobile-friendly and can be completed 24/7 with an internet connection and computer, tablet, or smartphone.
• Our work-at-your-own-pace technology means that learners can pause their training anytime and pick up from where they left off later.
• A personalized Certificate of Completion when a learner has completed all course modules and has passed the final exam.

For employers and large organizations, consider these additional benefits of Respect in the Workplace online training:

• Eliminates travel and venue expenses associated with “live training”.
• Provides an efficient, consistent, and cost-effective solution for knowledge transfer.
• Maintains an audit trail of each employee’s online learning history to track compliance, support due diligence, and validate learning effectiveness.
• Corridor’s dedicated and responsive support team is ready to assist users and administrators when needed.

Questions? We’re Here to Help

Learn more about our Respect in the Workplace Training and how it can support your efforts to create a safe, respectful, and legally compliant workplace. Request a Free Demo or Contact Us today to see if this course is right for your organization.