Access the Definition of a HealthY Workplace (PDF)

The WHO defines a healthy workplace as one in which all members of the dental team collaborate to use a continuous improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety and well-being of its members and the sustainability of the workplace. (Burton, 2010)

A workplace can be defined as a variety of settings: a dental office/practice, educational institutions, staff events, and continuing education and institutional settings. 

A healthy and respectful workplace is one that…

• supports and promotes the physical and psychological well-being of each member of the team
• is free from harassment, bullying, and violence (physical and/or psychological)
• promotes respectful means of communication and activities within and outside the hours of the workplace
• exemplifies strong leadership and models respectful behaviour

• recognizes the professional expertise of each member of the dental team and empowers them to achieve their full scope of practice 
• allows adequate time for individualized patient/client care
• offers the opportunity to negotiate a fair compensation package in compliance with provincial employment standards 
• is open, collaborative, and transparent in all interactions and decision making
• has policies and systems in place to address concerns courteously, promptly, and fairly
• is supported by a collaborative approach of the CDA, CDHA, and CDAA to create guidelines and resources for all members of the dental team.

Definitions of Harassment, Bullying, Abuse, Violence in the Workplace

Workplace harassment is defined as a single or repeated incident of objectionable or unwelcome behaviour that offends, humiliates, or degrades a particular person or group (e.g. someone is targeted on the basis of a characteristic such as age, sex, race, national of ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion, etc.). 

Workplace bullying is defined as repeated, unreasonable and unwelcome behavior that is directed towards a particular person or group. It has also been described as the assertion of power through aggression. Bullying actions can be both obvious and subtle (e.g. intimidating/threatening a person, belittling a person's opinions, spreading malicious rumours, excluding or socially isolating a person). 

Workplace abuse/violence is defined as the threatened, attempted or actual conduct of a person that causes or is likely to cause physical or psychological injury or harm. It can include abusive behaviour (e.g. verbal or written threats, insults, threatening behaviour) or violent behaviour (e.g. physical attack or aggression, sexual violence, domestic violence).

Examples

• Verbal or written threats (e.g. expression of an intent to cause harm)
• Verbal abuse (e.g. swearing, insults, condescending language)
• Non-verbal abuse (e.g. rolling eyes, smirking, hands on hips, taking away personal items, violating personal space)
• Incivility (e.g. repeated acts of disrespect, disregard, rudeness, combativeness, uncooperativeness)
• Bullying / harassment (e.g. behavior that demeans, embarrasses, isolates, humiliates, annoys, alarms and is known to be unwelcome)
• Passive aggressive bullying/harassment (e.g. being ignored/snubbed in the workplace, being excluded from decisions, conversations and work-related social events, etc.)
• Cyberbullying (e.g. email and/or social media has been used to share humiliating things about you, to spread lies and/or gossip about you, to send you harassing instant messages)
• Physical harassment - threatening behavior (e.g. shaking fists, throwing objects, slamming doors, destroying property to intimidate)
• Physical attacks (e.g. hitting, pushing, kicking, spitting, assault with a weapon, etc.)
• Sexual harassment (e.g. unwanted sexual advances, conduct or behavior such as sexual jokes / comments / questions, inappropriate sexual gestures and/or touching, sharing sexual photos, etc.)
• Sexual assault (e.g. unwanted sexual activity, including touching and attacks)

Source

Burton, J. (2010). WHO Healthy Workplace Framework and Model: Background and Supporting Literature and Practices. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.