The Bystander Effect
by·stand·er ef·fect| \ ˈbī-ˌstan-dər i-ˈfekt
Definition: The “bystander effect” is the well-documented phenomenon in which fewer people take action when there are more people involved.
When applied to incidents of sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace the more people that witness an incident the less likely it is to be reported. The good news is that if you take the proper steps to educate your workforce and teach them how to intervene the bystander effect can be reversed. Most people want to step in when they see inappropriate behavior in the workforce, but they just don’t know how.
In this guidebook, you will learn:
- The five stages an individual must go through to shift from a passive to an active bystander
- Strategies for “breaking the silence” and fostering a culture active intervention
- Tips for cultivating ongoing culture change