The Importance of Bystander Training in the Workplace
London Allen
August 24, 2024
Via VirtualPhotosHave you ever felt like you needed to speak up at work? You hear a weird remark that makes your ears perk up in attention, and your senses tingle with the hope that you did not hear what you think you just heard. You run it back in your brain, and whether or not the comment directly targeted you, it is clear that you have to say something. Whether it be in the classroom, a random moment in public, or at the workplace, knowing how to be an active upstander instead of a passive bystander is essential and could potentially save lives.
Who’s a Bystander and Who’s an Upstander?
While you might have heard the term bystander before, what does it actually mean? The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that a bystander is “an individual who observes or witnesses a situation of discrimination or violence committed by a perpetrator towards a victim, and has the opportunity to either condone, intervene, or do nothing” (Rodenhizer-Stämpfli et al., 2018; Barnyard, 2011, as cited in Henson et al., 2020). This situation can happen in any environment at any moment.
“There are many reasons people do not intervene in bystander situations. Often, when we encounter uncomfortable moments, we may freeze, brush it off, or panic, and this often leads to inaction. ”
It can be difficult to understand how to react to situations of discrimination or violence because that can be extremely uncomfortable or unsafe. However, if you are morally opposed to discrimination or violence, it is important to show allyship to victims by stepping in when you can. This is called being an upstander. While this term may seem unfamiliar, the concept certainly should not. APA shares “An upstander is a bystander who recognizes acts or utterances of injustice and takes a stand by interrupting and challenging situations that normalize discrimination and potential violence” (Nelson et al., 2011; Grantham, 2011; Parrott et al., 2020). Being an upstander can de-escalate dangerous situations and help change mindsets. Bystander intervention teaches folks to take a stand and practice these helpful and mindful behaviors.
There are many reasons people do not intervene in bystander situations. Often when we encounter uncomfortable moments, we may freeze, brush it off, or panic and this often leads to inaction. According to Jennifer McCary of Gettysburg College, diffusion of responsibility, ambiguity, perceived costs, and evaluation apprehension are several excuses for why people remain bystanders. In McCary’s TedTalk, she states that diffusion of responsibility causes people to assume others will do something, which causes nobody to do anything. Further, ambiguity causes people to fear putting themselves or something they may care about at risk, often thinking, “Am I going to have to invest too much time or energy into this?” However, McCary encourages folks to think past these barriers and consider our civility and morality as people which can help push us to be upstanders.
Why is Bystander Intervention Training Essential for the Workplace?
Creating a culture of speaking up can have an immense impact on the tone and mood of a workplace. It makes sure the environment is safe and inclusive for all. Without creating a culture of intervening upstanders, bigoted ideas can spread and possibly lead to violent outcomes. In recent years, important diversity and inclusion initiatives have led to an uptick in this type of training.
The types of situations one may find themselves presented with can range from casual to obviously problematic. Many people are bystanders because of uncertainty about how to behave or react. Additionally, many people are unsure how to behave in diverse environments because they are unfamiliar with them. Together, this can be a recipe for a harmful and awkward workplace setting. For example, Learning For Justice’s (LFJ) Speak Up guide reports, “An African American businesswoman in the South writes: “I was speaking with a white co-worker when, midway through the conversation, she smiled and said, ‘You speak so clearly. Have you had diction lessons?’ — like for an African American to speak clearly, we’d have to have diction lessons.” This example is clearly an uncomfortable situation, and many may witness and not recognize the microaggression. Understanding how to spot these behaviors and knowing when to speak up are just two of the challenges of bystander intervention. Proper training helps people know how and when to step in and encourages behaviors that can alleviate discriminatory language in the workplace entirely.
How To Implement and Enforce Bystander Intervention Training at the Workplace
Prioritizing this training in the workplace is one thing, but ensuring it is enforced is another. Some of the things Bystander Intervention Training will practice with employees are appropriate actions and scripts that will increase their chances of success as upstanders. Some trainings may present the 5D’s—Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct—which can be a useful memorization tool for how to behave in bystander situations. Others may also teach employees scripting for specific language to use in these instances. Taking these trainings seriously and practicing them in the workplace must be an initiative supported and exemplified by leadership. Employees often model their behaviors after leadership, and if they see higher-ups speaking up and not allowing inappropriate behavior, they will feel more comfortable doing so well. If you are interested in how to be a better upstander at work or have colleagues you believe would benefit from bystander intervention training, consider checking out Necessary Behavior’s Bystander Intervention Training Workshop. Workshops begin September 2024, and we look forward to helping you support an inclusive and diverse workplace.
Written by: London Allen
About the Author:
Just a girl.
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