Monitoring of working and health conditions in victims of  bullying at work
Author(s): Luciano Romeo, Emanuele Quintarelli, Silvia Tisato, Luigi Perbellini, Antonia Ballottin                     Country: Italy
Is the intervention sector specific?	No
Is the intervention usable with different enterprise sizes?	Yes
Is the intervention equally applicable to both genders?	Yes
Is the intervention based on theory?	No
Can the intervention approach be adapted/ tailored?	Yes
Does the intervention promote CSR and how?	The intervention was not explicitly linked to responsible business practices although it does promote employee well-being.
Does the intervention promote social dialogue and how?	During the implementation of the intervention continuous dialogue between researchers, inspectors, occupational physicians and harassment advisors was established.
Overview (including risk assessment and law – legal requirements etc.): The method, called VAL.MOB, was proposed by the National Network for the Prevention of Psycho-social Discomfort in the Workplace, recently constituted by ISPESL in Italy. VAL.MOB seeks to asssess and monitor the work and health conditions of the victims of bullying at work. The infomation yeilded from this working and health condition assessment can assist researchers and practicioners tailor practices and initiatives to improve the implementation of the workplace intervention by different professionals (e.g. occupational physician, harassment adviser); thereby, assisting workers in the most effective way.
Implementation: The health status and working conditions of victims of bullying are periodically evaluated by interviewing the victim starting from six months after the first observation. On a regular basis these workers receive psychological support; and, if necessary, psychiatric treatment. Simultaneously, researchers act to modify, in different ways, the negative conditions found in the workplace and provide legal advice. The primary purpose is to verify which approach is more effective and if it is necessary to modify the intervention. Telephone interviews and questionnaires are used for periodical checks.
Practical applications: VAL.MOB has been successfully implemented in both the private and public sector; however, most cases have been from the private sector.
Innovative aspects:   VAL.MOB monitors the efficacy of interventions in addressing negative working situations; whilst improving the clinical condition of victims of bullying at work.
Evaluation (including process issues, outcomes and sustainability): Indicators of efficacy are the numbers of cases improved as assessed by the frequency of medical interventions, clinical improvement, modification of drug treatment, frequency of sickness absence and the number of resolved cases.
Benefits (including cost effectiveness): Preliminary results indicate that the improvement of working conditions is the most effective intervention, and highlight the importance of human resource management and the application of ethical codes in companies.
References: Centre for the Assessment of Psychosocial Risks and Pathologies at Work, Department of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Verona, Italy.
Comments:   The method has been used in several cases but the results are still preliminary.