Role-play Training Session: Bullying in the Workplace (Long Term Care Facility)
Maximum 30 Participants
2 hours in length
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this session learners will:
• Differentiate between inappropriate workplace behaviours, such as bullying, harassment, and poisoned
work environment;
• Identify specific inappropriate workplace bullying behaviours;
• Develop effective strategies for responding to workplace bullies;
• Discuss the impact bullying has on the workplace, specifically in a long term care facility.
Rationale
Role-play is an appropriate instructional strategy for this particular training topic, for the following reasons:
• Bullying in the workplace education needs to promote learning in both the affective and cognitive
domains, which role-play accomplishes.
• The learning goal for this training is to impart the knowledge, skill, and ability required to effectively
approach a bullying situation in the workplace. A role-play instructional strategy meets this goal, since
learners act out situations in a controlled environment and receive immediate feedback on their
learning.
Session Resources
Bullying in the Workplace - A Handbook for Ontario Workplaces
Ministry of Labour Information on Workplace Harassment
Human Resources Policy 5.0 – Harassment & Discrimination in the Workplace
Topic Guide
A. Discussion of Session Resources and Learner’s Previous Experience (Activation)
• Learners will gain knowledge of the benefits of experiential and active learning.
• Learners will participate in a large group discussion about what bullying, harassment and poisoned
work environment are. Learners will identify examples of these types of behaviours that they have
witnessed in the workplace.
B. Video on Bullying in the Workplace (Demonstration)
• Learners will watch this video, which will demonstrate to them inappropriate workplace behaviours,
as well as outlines examples of bullying behaviours.
C. Role-play Activity (Application)
• Learners will role play in groups one of the scenarios outlined below, with a focus on implementing
strategies to address the bullying behaviour.
Role-Play #1 – Rumours Fly!
Joe is a Nurse who has worked at the facility for 15 years. Recently he and his wife of 30 years have
separated and are filing for divorce.
On every shift Joe sees his co-workers whispering behind his back. Rumours have started circulating about
the circumstances surrounding the separation.
Role-play this situation and how Joe should act in these types of situations.
Role-Play #2 – The New Girl
Meg is a new Housekeeping staff that started 2 weeks ago. She is often given the cold shoulder by the other
staff members, who refuse to help her with any questions she asks; therefore, she is having a hard time
“learning the ropes”. Other staff members also isolate and ignore her during breaks and lunch.
Role-play this situation and how Meg should act in these types of situations.
Role-Play #3 – “I’m only kidding around”
A group of Personal Support Workers work together fairly frequently. A few of them make jokes about other
employees, but usually follow with “I didn’t really mean it” or “I’m only kidding around”. This makes several of
them uncomfortable, even when the jokes are not directed at them specifically.
Role-play this situation and how the employees who feel uncomfortable with these jokes should act/respond.
Roe-Play #4 – The New Guy
Jake is a new staff member in the dietary department. Often times when he asks his co-workers for
assistance they roll their eyes at him, shake their head and/or make comments that he isn’t cut out for this job.
Role-play this situation and how Jake should act/respond.
Role-Play #5 – Betty & Jane Don’t See Eye to Eye
Betty and Jane often do not see eye to eye on how to deliver care to a particularly challenging resident. They
often drag other co-workers into their arguments, asking them to “choose sides”, which creates a tense
working environment.
Role-play this situation, including what the appropriate actions should be by everyone involved.
D. Feedback, Debrief, and Reflection (Integration)
• Following each role play, learners will reflect on the following questions:
o What behaviours did you see as inappropriate?
o How would being the “target(s)” in the role play make you feel?
o How would the community, volunteers, residents, etc. view this behaviour?
o What additional strategies/actions would you suggest to resolve the situation?
o As well, the group presenting will reflect on the emotions they experienced while enacting
the role play.
Facilitation Guide
Facilitator Preparation
What you will need:
• Projector, laptop, internet access
• Handouts
Handouts:
• A copy of the session resources as noted above.
• Provide each student a handout with the debrief/reflection questions noted below, so that they will be
aware of what they are reflecting on during each role play scenario.
Facilitation
A. Discussion of Session Resources and Learner’s Previous Experience (Activation)
• Explain to the learners the benefits of experiential and active learning. Consider putting the following
image on a power point slide or handout: Click here to access image. Some learners may feel anxious
about having to participate in a role play, so it important to try to ease their tension by explaining that it
is a very powerful learning tool, and they are not expected to be award winning actors.
• The facilitator should lead the learners in a large group discussion:
o Ask learners to explain in their own words what bullying, harassment and poisoned work
environment are.
o Ask learners to identify examples of these types of behaviours that they have witnessed in the
workplace.
B. Video on Bullying in the Workplace (Demonstration)
• Show learners the video to demonstrate inappropriate behaviours.
• Click here to access video
C. Role-play Activity (Application)
• It is important for the facilitator to set role play ground rules prior to the activity, for example:
o Make a significant effort to develop a role play with the scenario your group is given
o Keep your role play presentation under 3 minutes
o Respect the group that is presenting – no whispering or chatting
o Participate fully in the debriefing and reflection of each scenario
• Facilitator should count out learners into 5 groups and have them go to separate areas of the room – it
would be helpful to have signs (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) on the wall behind where each group should congregate.
• Hand out the scenario (above in lesson plan) to each group and provide them with approximately 15
minutes to develop their role play situation with the scenario they are provided.
• Call the large group back together and start with the role play scenarios.
D. Feedback, Debrief, and Reflection (Integration)
• Following each role play:
o Give learners a couple of minutes to individually reflect on the questions noted on the next
page.
o As the group discusses each question, the facilitator should also provide feedback to the group
that presented based on their enactment of the scenario.
• Concluding the session:
o Recap the main points from the role play scenarios, specifically that staff always need to
address bullying behaviour they witness and recap the strategies discussed to deal with these
behaviours.
o Show learners this image on a power point slide. Ask them if they see an old or a young
woman. Point out to them how they can see both images, and then ask them what this
demonstrates, which is that people see and perceive things (bullying in particularly) in different
ways, so they need to be aware of how others may perceive their actions.
