HOW WE WORK AT LA MONNAIE

INTRODUCTION

The Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie, represented by more than 400 permanent and/or temporary staff, continuously works with new employees and service providers. This has a positive impact on our work processes, on the final result on stage and on the audience. While we are committed to focusing on the creative process and the artistic result, we also attach the greatest importance to the way in which we carry out our responsibilities.

We want to continue to work towards a culture where everyone can flourish in their work and in which we are guided by certain values and respect of differences in our daily professional behaviour.

Within this framework, the institution is committed to preventing any employees from becoming a victim of harassment, violence or reprisals linked to gender, identity, ethnicity, religion, other beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, age or any other form of discrimination.

OUR POLICY

All employees are equally important to the functioning of the organisation. Working together at La Monnaie will be characterised by consideration, trust and respect.

We must jointly promote one and the same attitude towards all our colleagues (whether women or men). Any form of discrimination or harassment related to gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age, or other forms of degrading treatment is unacceptable in our workplace.

Our policy provides the basis for a common approach to be applied for all La Monnaie employees (permanent workers, temporary workers, volunteers, trainees etc.) as well as for freelancers (artists etc.).

The aim of a clear policy on how we behave towards each other, the audience and the opera environment is to create a safe and healthy working environment.

We place well-being at the heart of the workplace and are committed to maintaining a healthy and sustainable working environment.

We want to pursue a proactive policy to combat all forms of harassment and discrimination.

La Monnaie may take legal action against anyone who exposes an employee to harassment or any other form of assault. This action may result in dismissal.

OUR CHARTER, OUR VALUES

We treat each other with respect, trust and empathy

We talk to each other, not at each other. We listen to each other and are open and honest with each other.

We don't agree with discrimination and bullying

We encourage equality and diversity at La Monnaie and do not accept any form of discrimination, harassment, bullying or any other form of physical or verbal abuse.

We are good ambassadors

When it comes to social media, we expect La Monnaie employees to ensure that personal opinions and comments made privately or on social media are not perceived as the feelings of La Monnaie. We do not make offensive comments about individuals or groups in society and we do not forget that, in all contexts, we also act as good ambassadors for La Monnaie.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Anyone governed by our policy is responsible for ensuring that the department in which they work complies with it.

• The team manager's responsibility: to ensure that the policy is known and respected within the team & walk the talk (set a good example through behaviour and words)
• The production team's responsibility: to ensure that freelancers and people on artistic assignments are informed of this policy.
• Individual responsibility: to familiarise themselves with "how do we work" policy at La Monnaie and apply it in their daily work. Express disapproval of behaviour and report it clearly and correctly (or with the help of someone else, e.g. a confidential adviser or psychosocial prevention adviser).
• Responsibility of colleagues: not tolerating or participating in any form of harassment, and reporting any initiative to the manager, the support person or the psychosocial aspects prevention adviser). Colleagues also have a responsibility to advise employees who are suffering by informing them of the support resources available at La Monnaie.
• The responsibility of the Human Resources Department: to ensure that reports received are investigated, proposals for action implemented and that the victim(s) are immediately offered help and support. To ensure that our policy is followed and revised if necessary.
• The responsibility of the prevention department:
  • to welcome, inform and provide guidance to colleagues
  • to make employers aware of their obligation to identify hazards
  • to provide information on the procedure in the event of harassment or assault, the formal and informal steps to be taken and the role of those involved in the procedure
  • to give an opinion on the preventive measures proposed and selected by the employer.
  • to keep the register of third-party offences or entrust this task to the confidential adviser

DEFINITIONS AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK

The following terms are clearly defined in the Code for Well-being at Work (BOOK I: General principles, Title 3: Prevention of psychosocial risks in the workplace)

Harassment at work (Art. 32 ter)

A number of abusive behaviours, whether similar or different, external or internal to the company or institution, which occur over a period of time, and which have the purpose or effect of violating the personality, dignity or physical or psychological integrity of a person in the performance of their work, jeopardising their employment or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment, and which manifest themselves in particular through unilateral behaviour, words, intimidation, acts, gestures and writings.

Assault in the workplace (Art. 32 ter)

Assault in the workplace is defined as any situation in which a person is threatened or physically or psychologically attacked while carrying out their work.

Sexual harassment in the workplace (Art. 32 ter)

Sexual harassment in the workplace is defined as any unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct with a sexual connotation that has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

More references

Unwanted and abusive behaviour / Discrimination

Behaviour aimed at undermining a person's personality, dignity or physical and/or psychological integrity and which takes place over a period of time can be defined as bullying behaviour. 

Sensitivity can vary from one person to another.

Each individual may experience a situation/behaviour in a different way.

Differentiating between sexual harassment and seduction

The difference lies in the nature of the relationship (whether or not egalitarian relations) and the existence of consent.

In a relationship of seduction, the feeling is positive and the consent of each of the people involved in the relationship is respected.

If you feel humiliated, you are no longer in a relationship of seduction, but in a relationship of power in which the other person seeks to dominate by denying your consent.

Differentiating between sexist behaviour and humour

Humour implies a certain respect for others, and is exercised within a framework of equality and reciprocity between two people. A person who uses humour takes into account the effect their words have on you. Conversely, so-called sexist behaviour generates discomfort and annoyance.

Sexism 

Is based on stereotypes and takes the form of: remarks/jokes, false seduction, behaviour that places the victims (women or men) in a position of inferiority by denigrating their abilities because they do not fit the stereotypes.

EXAMPLES:

• Unwelcome suggestions or requests for sexual favours
• Discriminatory remarks and offensive language
• Intrusive sexual contact, jokes, looks, images, gestures etc.
• Ridiculous generalisations of female/male characteristics
• Denigration of efforts or withholding of information
• Discrimination through defamation or malicious rumours
• Discrimination on the basis of ethnicity or sexual orientation
• My manager entrusts me with tasks that are useless or impossible to carry out and asks me for services outside the professional context in return
• I'm ridiculed in meetings
• Physical or verbal attacks
• Touching, insistent looks and remarks

WHAT TO DO?

Generally speaking, it is important not to remain isolated but to be able to share your feelings with someone you feel you can trust, whether it be a colleague, the employer, a confidential adviser, an in-house prevention adviser or the Human Resources department etc.

If you witness violent behaviour or behaviour that could be described as harassment, it is important to talk about it (to one of the parties listed below) in order to help the victim and inform them of the resources available to them. If the climate allows, indicate clearly and correctly to the person who has behaved in an undesirable way that this action is not appropriate.

If you think you are a victim of harassment (moral or sexual) or assault in the workplace, the first thing to do is to speak up as soon as possible. To achieve this, you have a number of contacts inside and outside the organisation who can help you, depending on your choice and objectives:

• The confidential adviser: this person can listen to you in complete confidentiality and inform you of possible courses of action. He or she is trained to do this. He or she can also carry out so-called informal interventions (listening/advice, intervention with a third party, mediation etc.).
• Your line management: every member of the management structure has a duty to be attentive to signals that could indicate a psychosocial problem and to make themselves available to listen to any employee who believes he or she is suffering psychological or physical harm. It is not necessarily up to your line managers to resolve the problem, but they can inform you of the solutions and resources available to you to deal with it.
• The Psychosocial Aspects Prevention Adviser (CPAP) within the External Department (SEPP): the CPAP is duty bound to act in complete neutrality and confidentiality and can provide guidance in informal or formal procedures on request.
• The occupational physician:  for example, at the time of a periodic or other examination.

You can also make use of bodies outside the organisation, such as:

• Welfare at work inspectorate: in principle, it only acts as a second line of defence, after the application of the internal procedure and assistance from the CPAP.
• External mediation provided for in the Judicial Code
• Court proceedings: any employee who believes that he or she has been the victim of harassment or violence in the workplace may file a complaint with the employment tribunal to obtain compensation, an injunction against the perpetrator to bring a stop to their actions, or file for measures to be imposed on the employer. However, the organisation's internal procedure should be used first, as the judge - if he or she observes that the matter has been referred to the court from the outset - may refer the employee to the internal procedure and suspend proceedings before the employment tribunal pending internal follow-up.

If you are the manager of someone who has been assaulted/harassed:

- As a manager, it is important to act and set limits to inappropriate behaviour, while respecting the rules of proper conflict management (e.g. hearing both parties, following the rules of the code of conduct, etc.). In complex situations, (support persons and) psychosocial prevention advisers are also available to managers to provide support or advice in such situations. It is not necessarily up to the hierarchy to resolve the problem, but they can inform you of the solutions and resources available to you to deal with it.

Register of third-party offences

If the perpetrator is external to La Monnaie (e.g. an external service provider, spectator etc.), it is important to report the events in the third-party offences register. This is a document kept by the Prevention Department which records all verbal and physical assaults by third parties. This document is used to guide the prevention policy and implement the necessary measures.

To fill in the register of third-party offences, please send a description of the offences to the following address sippt@lamonnaie.be

This document serves as a guide for our prevention policy and helps us to implement the necessary measures.

USEFUL CONTACTS

If you have any questions regarding this code of conduct, please contact
La Monnaie’s internal health and safety department by email: sippt@lamonnaie.be.

Specific contact details for staff are available on La Monnaie’s intranet and in the welcome brochure distributed to temporary artists by the Artistic Planning & Production department (planning@lamonnaie.be).