The Bystander Challenge: Workplace Bystander Intervention Training
The National Conflict Resolution Center’s (NCRC’s) bystander training empowers employees to be upstanders and address challenges with respect and dignity.
What is bystander intervention training?
The Bystander Challenge is an interactive bystander training that trains employees to recognize, evaluate, and safely address harassment, microaggressions, or discrimination before issues escalate.
Why bystander training is essential for your workplace
Increasingly, bystanders are asked to become upstanders who stand up to “red-flag” behavior. However, this can be easier said than done, as workplace dynamics can make it challenging to choose the correct course of action.
NCRC equips people to have these challenging conversations through bystander workplace training, which will:
- Provide tools to encourage active engagement and reduce the “bystander effect” in teams
- Build a culture of collective responsibility, accountability, and psychological safety
- Help organizations meet legal and ethical standards for harassment prevention
By the end of this bystander intervention training program, participants will:
- Identify the reasons for inaction on the part of bystanders.
- Reflect on their values and how they may affect their decision to act.
- Evaluate situations with clarity to decide how to respond.
- Learn effective strategies to communicate concerns.
- Consider ways their co-worker may respond.
Why choose NCRC’s Bystander Challenge?
NCRC’s bystander training for workplaces differs from other anti-harassment training because it covers what harassment is, how to identify it, what to do when you see it, AND everything that leads to harassment, so you can prevent it from happening. Furthermore, it teaches bystanders the practical steps to address “red-flag” behavior.
The Bystander Challenge fulfills the legal requirement for anti-harassment training in all 50 states in the U.S. NCRC offers multiple versions of The Bystander Challenge, which fulfills the training requirement for both supervisory and (for some states) non-supervisory employees.
In a safe learning environment, participants will gain confidence in using bystander intervention skills, which are reinforced through thoughtful, interactive exercises and reflective conversations. NCRC’s bystander training has a proven positive impact on workplace culture and perceptions of safety, and includes the following benefits:
- Combines compliance with a culture-first approach, going beyond definitions to equip participants with practical communication skills
- Offered as an online or live workshop, allowing flexible training scale for remote or hybrid teams
- Customizable sessions tailored to each organization’s needs (e.g., healthcare, higher education, nonprofits)
A structured program to educate individuals on when and how to intervene safely and effectively when witnessing harmful or inappropriate behavior.
Yes, our programs are customizable to meet the needs of your organization and can be conducted on-site or virtually.
There is also a version of The Bystander Challenge that doesn’t include the anti-harassment and discrimination laws. This is a great option for companies who have already found a training that fulfills their anti-harassment training requirement. We highly encourage companies to consider The Bystander Challenge even if they have already fulfilled their legal training requirements, because it demonstrates a commitment to a positive work environment where everyone feels safe and respected. By empowering employees to speak up when they see red flags, companies create an environment that prevents harassment from happening in the first place.
The National Conflict Resolution Center provided professional and comprehensive training to our entire Maintenance Assessment District board. The Bystander training program is an up-to-date situational training for the workplace. Assistance from NCRC staff was excellent, the fees are reasonable and would recommend the service.
-Maintenance Assessment District