Do you think that sexual harassment in the workplace isn’t SUCH an issue anymore, as most people know better in the 21st century?
Then you are sorely mistaken, considering that sexual harassment court cases, business insurance against sexual harassment, and sexual harassment training are on the rise.
If you are concerned about sexual harassment laws and wish to train your employees properly, then keep reading this article.
1. Sexual Harassment Training Programs
Do you have a sexual harassment training program already? Without such a program, people are not going to be aware of sexual harassment, how to speak up against it, and how to report it if witnessed or experienced. They will also not know what sexual harassment laws can protect them from.
There are a lot of misconceptions floating around the workplace about what sexual harassment is and is not. People don’t know how far someone who’s suffering from harassment can go to protect themselves.
A training program will also make people comfortable about reporting sexual harassment because it will show that there is no stigma against victims of sexual harassment.
2. Have a Process in Place To Report Sexual Harassment
Have an HR person in place or someone else who will deal directly with the victims of sexual harassment in a confidential fashion. One reason why sexual harassment in the workplace goes unreported is that victims worry about losing their jobs, and their reputations. They also worry about being labeled a liar when reporting such issues.
A set procedure on reporting sexual harassment will reassure people who would otherwise be too wary of reporting any problems with their colleagues or supervisors.
3. Senior Management Needs To Build Awareness and Be an Example
Does your senior management team walk around and stay aware of the kinds of misconduct happening in the workplace? Are they striving to be an example to all employees and showing that they are aware of how to behave with employees respectfully?
It all starts from the top, and without proper buy-in from the management team, without the right people management skills, sexual harassment in the workplace will not reduce or get reported. It will always be something that no one speaks about, and this could cause you to lose a lot of great employees and money in the long run.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Will Not Go Away on Its Own
Do you wish that this problem of sexual harassment in the workplace would just go away on its own? Well, that’s not how it works.
Every business needs to build a proper protocol for dealing with sexual harassment. Use companies that are doing it well as an example. Don’t wait until it’s too late or you might end up dealing with a massive lawsuit that could cost your company lots of time and could even make you bankrupt.
Check out other interesting articles on our website and keep on learning about current business issues.