A fair, collaborative, inclusive, and respectful workplace is a vital prerequisite to the University’s achieving its teaching, research, public service, and patient care goals and preserving its reputation for excellence.
Therefore, the University embraces the concept of a respectful workplace as a core value and is committed to promoting an environment where employees respect each other regardless of their roles, levels of responsibility, or the nature or extent of their contributions.
Employees
Regardless of role or status, you are responsible for behaving respectfully and refraining from behaviors that violate other relevant University policies. You have a responsibility to
- recognize when you or others are being subjected to disrespectful behavior
- address the behavior directly with the person engaging in disrespectful or abusive conduct
- alert a supervisor or the next person in the chain of command (if a supervisor is the issue) for prompt resolution
- make a complaint
Supervisors
In addition to your personal responsibilities as an employee, you have a responsibility to
- encourage individuals to report instances of disrespectful behavior
- immediately address all disrespectful behavior once it is reported or observed
- take the situation seriously and promptly investigate the extent and nature of the problem
Vice Presidents, Deans, and Unit Heads
In addition to your personal responsibilities as an employee and supervisor, you bear the primary responsibility for maintaining a workplace environment free from disrespectful behavior. You are expected to act on this responsibility whenever necessary.
Human Resources
Among other things, it is your responsibility to
- provide a system for receiving, addressing, and resolving complaints
- provide training for employees in interpersonal communication skills, problem solving, conflict resolution, and available resources for addressing difficult situations
- conduct periodic surveys of employees to continuously evaluate compliance
- incorporate demonstrated compliance with these guidelines as part of annual employee performance appraisals
- require vendors and their employees to comply with these guidelines as a condition of doing business with UVA
- acknowledge and reward employees who demonstrate outstanding commitment to a respectful workplace