Role Play Assessment: Dealing with Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace

This role play assessment focuses on handling a situation where an employee is being bullied and harassed by a colleague. The Sales Team Supervisor facilitates a meeting with the offender to explain the company's bullying and harassment policy. The outcome of the meeting is then communicated to the victim.

ROLE PLAY ASSESSMENT

Role play assessment
Scenario
Lyn confronts Sales Team Supervisor and complains about Eddie as he is constantly bragging
about his own sales record and insists that they are always better then her. As a Sale Team
Supervisor facilitate a meeting with Eddie to explain Bullying and harassment policy of the
company. Then verbally communicate Lyn the outcome of the meeting.
 Meeting between Sales Team Supervisor and Eddie
Sales Team Supervisor: Eddie, I have received a Complaint against you that your behaviour
towards Lyn is not appropriate.
Eddie: Can you clarify what behaviour of mine is not appropriate towards her?
Sales Team Supervisor: You continuously brag your own sales, insist that they are better than
her and. She is letting the team down. This behaviour of yours’s is completely
inappropriate as you, continuously try to put her down.
Eddie: What is wrong in it? My sales are definitely better than her sales.
Sales Team Supervisor: Eddie, you are being insensitive towards her and your harsh and
upfront comments are making her feel upset and depressed. This is considered as
bullying, don’t you know that BuySmart has strong bullying and harassment policy. This
behaviour within the organization is completely unacceptable and if anyone at workplace
is found committing this kind of behaviour then strong disciplinary action can be taken
against her.
Eddie: I didn’t mean to do so. She always had good results but recently her sales have been
decreasing continuously. I was simply trying to explain that in am trying to climb the
ladder and trying to achieve excellent results. By saying ‘She is letting the team down’, I
wanted to develop a competitive feeling within her so that she can focus on improving
her sales. I have been misunderstood in this case.
Sales Team Supervisor: Eddie, you need to understand organization’s Bullying and harassment
policy and should comply it whenever you are dealing with other staff members. As your
one harsh comment can upset someone or might demotivate them. Within the
organizational policy variety of behaviour are considered as bullying blaming, constant
unconstructive criticism, sarcasm and other forms of demeaning language are considered
as bullying. It is one of your main responsibility not to negatively affect another staff
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member’s feeling, career etc. It is against organization’s policy. In fact, you should
participate in resolving bullying issues within the workplace.
Eddie: I am sorry; I didn’t realize that what I was doing is considered as bullying. Next time I
will try to keep that in mind and bring improvement within my behaviour.
Sales Team Supervisor: I hope you understood company’s policy and next time you will try to
act more responsibly.
 Meeting between Sales Team Supervisor and Lyn
Sales Team Supervisor: Lyn, I have talked to Eddie and I have also made sure that next time he
will behave in a responsible manner and will understand his responsibilities towards the
organization and towards other staff members. You should also forget his attitude and
move forward. In fact, you should take it in a positive manner and bring improvement
within your work so that next time no one else gets an opportunity to bully you.
Lyn: Than You. Next time I will try to ignore these comments and focus on bringing
improvement within my work so that no one gets an opportunity to mock or bully me.
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