Empower employees to take action, protect culture, and prevent harm in real time.
Course Video Preview
A sales team celebrates success after close of sale, when another colleague has other ideasCourse Description
Rooted in Emtrain’s skills-based approach, the program introduces the 5 D’s of intervention — Delegate, Distract, Delay, Direct, and Document — as flexible strategies employees can apply in everyday situations. The result: a workplace where people feel protected, accountable to each other, and empowered to model respectful interactions.Key Concepts
- Recognize moments where speaking up can prevent harm and reinforce culture
- Apply the 5 D’s to intervene safely and effectively in real-world scenarios
- Support colleagues and build allyship through confident, respectful action
- Build self-awareness to identify hesitation triggers and overcome the bystander effect
Course Features
- Access to our Anonymous Ask the Expert tool
- Rich video scenarios based on real-world events
- Built-in employee sentiment surveys
- 50+ Machine Translation Options
- Optional program timer
- Policy acknowledgement tool
- Extensive customization options
Lessons
Becoming Upstanders
Intervention Method: Delegate
Intervention Method: Direct
Intervention Method: Distract
Intervention Method: Delay
Intervention Method: Document
Using Multiple Intervention Methods
Provide Your Feedback
Relevant Courses
Complementary Microlessons
Recommended Resources
From ‘Ask the Expert’
Emtrain’s Ask the Expert feature enables users to ask questions about compliance, bias, harassment, and diversity & inclusion as they come up. It’s all confidential, and answers are sent straight to their inbox. View some of the example questions below and see the Experts answers.
Q
What’s the difference between a bystander and an upstander?
Thanks for asking. A bystander notices inappropriate or harmful behavior but doesn’t take action. An upstander steps in — either directly or indirectly — to support the person affected or to stop the behavior.
Q
What practical steps can bystanders take to safely intervene in a conflict?
Good question. You don’t have to jump into the middle. Simple actions like creating space, checking in with the person targeted, or distracting to defuse tension can help. Safety is key — intervene in a way that doesn’t put yourself at risk.
Q
What role do managers play in encouraging bystander action?
Managers set the tone. When they show support for employees who speak up and handle reports seriously, it makes people more confident about intervening. Managers can also share examples and talk openly about why bystander action matters.
Q
How can bystanders support colleagues who experience bias or discrimination?
Sometimes support is as simple as acknowledging what happened and asking how the person is doing. You can also back them up if they choose to report it, or raise the concern yourself if they’re not comfortable.
Q
Why is bystander intervention important for workplace culture?
When employees step in, it shows that harmful behavior won’t be ignored. That builds trust and creates a culture where people feel safe and respected. It’s one of the best ways to stop small issues from becoming bigger problems.
Culture Forward Companies That Choose Emtrain
