We are constructing a list of the items that we consider important for the fire service to focus on to promote equity and equality. Currently it looks a bit like this;
The List (work in progress)
Eventually it will be a list of the items we consider important for the fire service to focus on to promote equity and equality. Currently it looks a bit like this
- The role of HR
- Defending the organisation comes first (ranks above equity)
- Ignoring the victim
- Senior managers/strategy
- Strategic avoidance
- Reputation first
- Everything gets put to oneside because of the main job (if harassment were to be treated like an emergency incident, then it may be solved)
- Is the reduction in the budget, a neo-liberal approach that argue it is cheaper/easier to accept the cost of harassment than to fight it.
- Toxic behaviour
- Stopping at source
- Toxic Behaviour on Fire Stations
- Senior officers toxic behaviour
- What doesn’t work (thoughts).
- Enquiries lack a practical approach
- Hand rubbing claims of innocence or shock
- Employing the same people (as opposed to the advantages of employing new people)
- Ignoring. Ignoring equality creates barriers to diverse people and the wider and better economic outcomes
- Are the indirect discriminatory barriers to women, the next phase in the direct discrimination of not wanting to employ women.
- Fitness
- Continually returning to old practices – looking at outcome and not cause. Circular process of the same old, same old hand rubbing shock and disbelief.
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In the spirit of action research the following is a more speculative list of notes
Strategic avoidance
There is evidence that firefighters are adept in hiding information from their officers
There are also indications that officers/managers may be hiding negative news from CFO’s. What is not clear is if this is deliberate strategy or not.
many managers due to self interest, not the greater good,
Potentially CFO’s may be briefed but that is into a deaf ear so the CFO can deny knowing about it
Ignoring the victim
There is a great deal of evidence that when a woman calls our bad behaviour, she gets marginalised.
The role of HR
There are discussions suggesting that HR core function isn’t primarily about people. It’s about managing organisational risk.
– Minimising legal claims.
– Protecting the organisation and senior leadership.
– Ensuring compliance.
Fitness
There is a body of evidence building about the equity of physical tests
Stopping at source
Is it possible to get people to call out bad behaviour immediately it happens? Could a nudge or wink or actually questioning directly stop most harassment?
Finance
CFO are cutting front line protection to save money. And so it should not be a surprise that protecting reputations and balancing budgets are closely linked.
Minimise people immediately they are a risk to the organisations reputation and a financial liability.
Supporting the potential harasser because they are the person that will protect the organisation
When a women calls out bad behaviour. She is a risk to the organisation’s reputation and budget.
How should we tackle toxic behaviours
Discussing case studies/individual’s experience
1/ we all make mistakes. Recognising this and encouraging perpetrators to apologise immediately, instead of claiming innocence, could be a huge step forward (that could stop formal action).
2/ Encouraging witnesses to speak out. Then 1/ above.
3/ improving the protection for victims who call out harassment.
4/ Getting managers to recognise their responsible and encourage 1/ above.
5/ if the above fails, accepting liability.
Senior officers toxic behaviour
There is a growing body of evidence that senior officers may be a little known area of sexual harassment that has not be fully investigated.
The service is aware that people are being put in harm’s way.
Each time there is a case of harassment there is much hand ringing, conferences, investigations and
What doesn’t work
Current approach may not be working
Enquiries lack a practical approach
