ORC Sightlines

February 2005

Bullying Issue Crosses Oceans, Real and Metaphorical

In many companies, the environmental, safety & health function once resided in the Human Resources Department (and in some it still does). Over the years, as the EH&S profession became more engineering- and science-based, it had less and less to do with HR, whether the two were housed together or not. In recent years, however, we have seen the interests of the HR and EH&S groups converging once again and partnerships forming between them. 

Workplace violence may have been the pivotal issue bringing the HR and EH&S disciplines back together. Currently, new issues are emerging that will likely encourage continued cooperation between the two functions. Often, what catalyzes interest among multinationals in these issues are initiatives coming out of the European Union.  Workplace stress and bullying are cases in point. They’ve been on the agenda for EU legislators, employers, and labor organizations for some time and have now begun to cross the Atlantic. ORC consultants are already working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to shape US research into the workplace effects of psychological aggression (i.e., bullying) and stress, and, at their meeting earlier this month, members of ORC’s Occupational Safety & Health Group grappled with some of the safety and liability issues associated with bullying. 

The EU’s safety and health arm, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, defines bullying as “repeated, unreasonable behavior directed towards an employee, or group of employees, that creates a risk to health and safety.” Although only one country, Sweden, actually identifies bullying as a discrete legal offense, others, such as Ireland, have addressed it in voluntary codes of practice, and other sources of potential legal liability exist in most countries, including the US. Aside from criminal assault and battery statutes, bullying may be actionable under safety rules, discrimination or harassment laws, and tort theories (e.g., intentional infliction of severe emotional distress). More compelling than the threat of liability is the cost of bullying represented by lost time, turnover, low morale, and diminished productivity.  Furthermore, the stress caused by bullying can contribute to increased medical costs for employers.

Some strategies suggested by the European Agency for preventing bullying or dealing with its effects include:

For an introduction to the issue of workplace bullying, see the factsheet published by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work at http://agency.osha.eu.int/publications/factsheets/23/en.  For more information on the issue, contact Ann Brockhaus in ORC’s Washington office, 202-293-2980, ann.brockhaus@orcww.com.

EH&S Leaders Explore Functional Talent Management Issues

The members of ORC’s International Safety & Health Forum devoted an afternoon of their February meeting to talent management in their global functions.  Most of the companies represented agreed that their talent management processes follow the typical model: an annual cycle that starts with business planning and incorporates talent forecasting, individual assessment and development planning, and talent review meetings at the functional and business unit levels, rolling up to a corporate-wide review with top management.  The concerns of the environmental, health and safety (EH&S) leaders participating in the discussion focused in particular on how to make this process most effective for motivating and retaining functional experts and solid careerists—those individuals who are not high potentials but who nevertheless are key to the success of the enterprise.

Lessons shared around the table included:

At the quarterly meetings of the International Safety & Health Forum, senior EH&S officials from multinational companies representing diverse industry sectors focus on EH&S best practices and legislative and regulatory developments in the nations of principal interest to the members. For more information, contact Dee Woodhull (dee.woodhull@orcww.com) or Joanne Linhard (joanne.linhard@orcww.com) by email or by phoning 202-293-2980.

Maximizing Value and Minimizing Risk of Failure in International Assignments

In an article published in this month’s issue of Mobility magazine, ORC consultants Tricia Danielsen and Stephanie Stagnitta note that poor selection and preparation of employees for international assignments can increase the risk of failure and the effort required to manage “high maintenance” expatriates. They recommend a series of steps to ensure that expatriates receive the information and support they need to be successful. Their recommendations fall into four categories:

Preparation

Mentoring

Communications

Career Management

The complete article is available in ORC's Reading Room. (Posted with permission of Worldwide  ERC®, from the February 2005 issue of Mobility.)

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