HealthPartners introduces online course to address bullying in the workplace

Part of series of HealthPartners programs to promote emotional resilience

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – HealthPartners is offering a new online course to address disrespect in the workplace. The course is called Choosing Civility. It has three sessions that are available free to HealthPartners members and patients. Each session takes about 15 minutes to complete. Participants learn to identify and address rude behavior which can be subtle. The sessions also teach techniques to bring courtesy and kindness to the workplace.

“There is growing research that shows that even small acts of disrespect can have a big negative impact on emotional health,” said Karen Lloyd, PhD, LP, Senior Director for Behavioral Health and Resilience at HealthPartners. “It can also affect a company’s bottom line when projects get delayed, customers service suffers and absenteeism increases.”

Researchers estimate that about half of workers are victims of low-level bad behavior at least weekly. Some examples include:

• Not listening to someone
• Ignoring or excluding someone
• Interrupting
• Taking credit when things go well and blaming others when things go wrong

Dr. Lloyd says being civil is a skill we can learn and that awareness of behavior is the first step to changing it. The Choose Civility online course includes a quiz for participants to rate their behavior.

Choose Civility is one of several HealthPartners online programs that help build emotional resilience. Others include Beating the Blues, Find Purpose and Meaning, Healthy Communication, Healthy Thinking and virtual coaching to help manage stress.