Everyday interactions set the tone and create the experiences people have in our organizations. Clear guidelines around interactions support connections rooted in respect, mutual understanding, and healthy boundaries. By naming what types of interactions create safety and inclusion, organizations can prevent misunderstandings and foster environments where everyone feels valued.

The Prohibited Conduct module clearly identifies behaviors that are not acceptable such as discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation. These policies are essential for creating a comprehensive safety policy, but safeguarding is not only about preventing harm or addressing it if it occurs. Interaction Guidelines are protocols that cultivate the kind of organization or community where everyone can thrive. By naming and modeling the behaviors you do want to see, your organization can create a culture where safety, respect, and dignity are the norm long before any line is crossed.

At the same time, interaction guidelines are not one-size-fits-all. What feels right for one organization may not be appropriate or realistic for another. Just as with the Foundational Elements and Living Your Policy modules, creating effective interaction guidelines requires stakeholder engagement, co-creation, and collective buy-in to ensure they reflect your organization’s values and can be upheld in practice.

This module will provide language you can adapt to:

• Set boundaries and affirm positive norms by outlining respectful, professional, and inclusive ways of communicating and interacting.
• Identify potential risks early so that issues can be addressed before they escalate into harm.
• Support accountability by giving stakeholders clarity about what healthy interaction looks like in your organization specifically.

Two important concepts to keep in mind when drafting your interaction guidelines are the role of consent and the impact of power dynamics. Both consent and power can complicate everyday requests or interactions, making it our shared responsibility to ensure all interactions and communications remain respectful, appropriate to the role, and free from coercion.

• Consent means a person has the freedom and capacity to make a clear choice without pressure, obligation, or fear of consequences. If someone feels compelled to agree or cannot safely decline, then consent is not freely given.
• Power dynamics arise from actual or perceived authority (such as supervisor/employee, board member/staff member, clergy/congregant, donor/board member), social influence, or specific vulnerable circumstances (such as intoxication or states of undress).