Should we give our staff Bystander Intervention Training?

René Robert, a Swiss photographer known for his shots of some of Spain’s most famous flamenco stars, died in January after slipping while on one of his nightly walks around the busy Paris neighbourhood where he lived. Tragically he gradually developed hypothermia as he wasn’t checked on for 9 hours, despite numerous people passing by. 

Why do tragedies like this happen? 

These kinds of stories keep appearing in the local, national and international news where someone has suffered, and this could have been prevented through an intervention by a bystander. This is also prevalent in the workplace - we see something that we know isn’t right, whether it be rudeness, bullying or outright discrimination, and something stops us from taking action. 

 What can we do? 

 You can offer your team Bystander Intervention training it explores the psychology which stops us intervening. It also provides tools to intervene in far more creative ways than the binary approach of direct intervention or doing nothing. 

 What will the impact be? 

 Once your staff have been trained in being Active Bystanders, they will be far more likely to take action to stop negative situations and will help create a more inclusive culture where you live your espoused values.  

 Returning to the tragic story of René Robert, sadly this is not a one off incident. Shockingly, 600 homeless people a year die on the streets of France, often with little assistance from passers-by.  

 So, there’s a long way to go before it becomes instinctive for everyone to step in in an effective way. We all need to do something to change and evolve, and Bystander Intervention training is a big step in the right direction.  

 To find out more https://www.emailogic.com/active-bystander email enquiries@emailogic.com or call a member of our friendly team on +44(0)203 154 6611.