You are a line manager

As a supervisor or manager at UNIL, you have a key role in ensuring a peaceful work and study environment that is conducive to the development of everyone. You are also required to respect certain legal obligations with regard to the prevention and management of problematic situations. Resources are available to help you carry out your duties.

You are obliged to report to the Rectorate any cases of psychological or sexual harassment, discrimination and violence of which they are aware, in accordance with Article 321a of the Code of Obligations.

In addition, persons who have a supervisory or managerial function at UNIL:

• Adopt appropriate behaviour towards their students, subordinates or colleagues;
• Ensure that their students, subordinates or colleagues behave appropriately and respectfully towards each other;
• Communicate to their students, subordinates or colleagues the preventive measures and intervention procedures in place at UNIL to prevent conflict, psychological harassment, sexism, sexual harassment or any other form of discrimination;
• Intervene without delay to put an end to any inappropriate behaviour in a work or study relationship;
• Seek assistance from the relevant bodies designated by the Rectorate to offer help to any member of the university community who requests support;
• Protect the persons concerned in the event of complaints and investigations;
• In the event of cyberbullying, report to the line management any problematic comments exchanged on a social network between members of the university community.

As a manager, if you notice or are informed of relationship difficulties in your unit, you can proceed as follows:

1. Clarify the situation: in a discussion with the person(s) concerned, ask relevant questions to find out what happened, who is involved, where, since, when, etc. Without conducting an interrogation, try to clarify the situation.
2. Create a dialogue: listen actively, attentively and respectfully to the parties to the conflict.
3. Record the main elements: take notes and write down what happened, when and where it happened, in what context and in the presence of whom. These notes will be useful for referring to concrete facts when dealing with the conflict.
4. Formalise a solution: find a solution with the parties to the conflict.

If no solution is found, you can consider other measures:

• Offer mediation by a person of trust: contact a person of trust trained in mediation.
• Commission another person or service for the mediation: contact the UNIL Rectorate, who will decide on the principle and modalities of the requested action: direction@unil.ch
• Individual or team coaching: contact the UNIL Rectorate, who will decide on the principle and modalities of the requested action: direction@unil.ch
• Relational audit: contact the UNIL Rectorate, who will decide on the principle and modalities of the requested action: direction@unil.ch

You should react quickly to psychological or sexual harassment, discrimination or violence in the work or study place.

• If you witness it: intervene and stop the unwelcome comments or behaviour.
• Posture: take the problem seriously – if the person experiencing sexism or harassment comes to you, listen actively, attentively and respectfully;
• Set the framework for the discussion: tell your colleague or student that you have an obligation to report situations that may constitute harassment or discrimination to the Rectorate (via the internal form). Inform them about the people and bodies that can offer support;
• Collect the testimony: use the interview guide provided by the Référentiel métier and report the situation via the internal form if you wish to seek help from the appropriate department.
• Taking care of the situation: on the basis of the report, the relevant department of the Directorate will contact you.

Do not minimize the situation: it is the perception of the person who feels he or she has been ictimized that should be taken into consideration, not the intention of the incriminated person.

Keep a strictly neutral approach – respect the principle of the presumption of innocence: the accused person has the right to be heard, so do not take sides.