Preventing and dealing with "psychosocial risks": where do we stand?

Between October 2022 and February 2023, around one hundred people, including all EPFL vice-presidents and deans, attended a half-day course on the legal bases for the protection of personality, mobbing and harassment. The organization of this training was one of the first actions undertaken by the head of the Trust and Support Network (TSN) after she took office in May 2022. Among the participants were also the directors of doctoral programs, sections or institutes and/or their assistants, as well as the heads and members of the services integrated into the TSN, such as Social Consultation, the Health Point, Occupational Health, HR, etc.

This training, like others to come, was designed on the basis of the work and recommendations of the Task Force Harassment A-Z & Promotion of a Culture of Respect. It was given jointly by Sonia Gander, Deputy Director of the EPFL Legal Department, and Patrick Mangold, a lawyer and legal advisor specializing in labor law, with extensive experience in investigating conflicts or suspicions of harassment.

"The course content was very well received, thanks to the great expertise of the trainer and the concrete cases presented. As the sessions progressed, the feedback helped to enrich the training, with even more time given to case studies," says Ines Ariceta, head of TSN. According to her, the extent of their responsibilities in terms of protecting the health and integrity of their employees surprised many of the workshop participants: "If there is a conflict in a team and it reaches the ears of their manager, that person cannot ignore it and is legally obliged to take action." She adds that the different bodies of the TSN (Person of Trust, HR managers, etc.) are there to help them think about a plan of action depending on the situation, because each case is different. This protection also applies to students.

Do not minimize the allegations

Another point that was emphasized during the workshop is that sexual harassment should be considered from the point of view of the person who believes he or she is being harassed, regardless of the intention of the person accused. "Sensitivity can be different from one person to another", reminds Ines Ariceta. This should encourage line managers and the community as a whole - colleagues, peers, etc. - to be good listeners and not to minimize or relativize the allegations received.

"Line managers and faculty need to pay attention to the dynamics within their teams; they have an important role to play in affecting the work climate. The idea is not that they think they need to be experts, but that they know the support that is out there and that it is always best to ask for help."

e-learning essential

This is also the message of the online training "You are not alone. Promoting respect" which has been developed for the entire EPFL community, notes Ines Ariceta. "It is a prevention and awareness tool that gives good indications on how to react, on the spot or after the fact, as a witness or as a line manager.

The feedback has been very good: "Some teams and labs have taken the e-learning as a group, and it has led to productive discussions." Nonetheless, it is important to be aware that discussion can be difficult for people who have experienced harassment, and to be able to offer support if needed. Promoting this online training, which is part ofEPFL Essentials, is one of the goals of the TSN manager, but remains a challenge. Among the members of the EPFL community, still too few have taken it, "even though it is aimed at everyone!"

Other trainings to come

Together with a working group she has gathered around her, Ines Ariceta continues to develop specific trainings, with the objective of reaching even more people, and on more subjects. A training on reception and care for professionals who receive requests and testimonies will be set up this summer.

Shorter training modules on specific issues such as burn-out, sexual harassment, consent, specificities of discrimination against the LGBTIQ+ community, etc. are also planned. Information on the support and processes for reporting and managing complaints, which are still too little known, is also one of the TSN head’s priorities.

An extensive and diversified network

Another work carried out over the last few months within the TSN has been to identify and clarify the roles and responsibilities of each body concerned with psychosocial risks, understood as physical or mental harm that may arise in a work or study context - a definition that encompasses but also goes beyond the issues of harassment and discrimination.

"The TSN aims to align all these instances and to bring them to the forefront. Support exists at EPFL, but it is not well known. We want to better understand and define the benefits of each entity to communicate them, align processes, and through trainings have a common knowledge base that I hope will build community confidence," she explains.

Making things happen

On her own role, which did not exist until a year ago, Ines Ariceta says she is satisfied when people contact her and she is able to guide and advise them. She has already been able to support about thirty people and to play a coordinating role in the answers given. Ines Ariceta also appreciates her involvement in the Mental Health Task Force, which enables her to align initiatives. She is looking forward to the arrival in May of the future Respect Compliance Officer (RCO), who will be responsible for handling formal complaints, thus completing the prevention and management of psychosocial risks.

"In theory, everyone wants to fight against discrimination and says they are sensitive to psychosocial risks, but in practice they are not always aware of what this means in terms of changes in behavior and leadership," analyzes the head of TSN. She adds: "Everyone has a role to play in changing the institutional culture. One must be patient and still be able to make things happen. If everyone at EPFL was already taking the e-learning module, it would help a lot, and it only takes 50 minutes!"