Respectful Workplace

The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission (HRC) is committed to actively engaging and working with all Nova Scotians and our diverse communities to address issues of discrimination by effectively:
  • advancing equity and dignity
  • fostering positive and respectful relationships, and
  • protecting human rights

The purpose of this booklet is to raise awareness of the prevalence and effects of bullying in the workplace, and to provide the employer, supervisor, co-workers and victims with suggestions to prevent and/or minimize any negative effects.

Find tools and resources for Workplace Violence Prevention from the Public Services Health and Safety Association of Ontario.

Interpersonal behaviors in health care must be improved, as studies reveal that most these toxic behaviors like poor communication are mostly related to medical errors, harm and less productivity.

A substantial barrier to progress in patient safety is a dysfunctional culture rooted in widespread disrespect. The authors identify a broad range of disrespectful conduct, suggesting six categories for classifying disrespectful behavior in the health care setting: disruptive behavior; humiliating, demeaning treatment of nurses, residents, and students; passive-aggressive behavior; passive disrespect; dismissive treatment of patients; and systemic disrespect.

Creating a culture of respect requires action on many fronts: modeling respectful conduct; educating students, physicians, and nonphysicians on appropriate behavior; conducting performance evaluations to identify those in need of help; providing counseling and training when needed; and supporting frontline changes that increase the sense of fairness, transparency, collaboration, and individual responsibility.

Once you've signed in to LMS, go to the course Catalogue tab and search Introduction to Respectful Workplace Policy to access this course. Estimated time to complete is 30 minutes.

Once you've signed in to LMS, go to the course Catalogue tab and search Introduction to Workplace Violence to access Parts 1 and 2 of this course. Estimated time to complete is 15 minutes per course.

When Gretchen Carlson spoke out about her experience of workplace sexual harassment, it inspired women everywhere to take their power back and tell the world what happened to them. In a remarkable, fierce talk, she tells her story -- and identifies three specific things we can all do to create safer places to work.

We're all against hate, right? We agree it's a problem -- their problem, not our problem, that is. But as Sally Kohn discovered, we all hate -- some of us in subtle ways, others in obvious ones. As she confronts a hard story from her own life, she shares ideas on how we can recognize, challenge and heal from hatred in our institutions and in ourselves.

Psychologist Susan David shares how the way we deal with our emotions shapes everything that matters: our actions, careers, relationships, health and happiness. In this deeply moving, humorous and potentially life-changing talk, she challenges a culture that prizes positivity over emotional truth and discusses the powerful strategies of emotional agility.