If you would like to maintain a workplace that is free of sexual harassment, read on as this article has some clear guidelines that will help you. Following these guidelines will help you ensure sexual harassment does not occur in your workplace. These guidelines include:
1.Understand the Definition of Sexual Harassment
Your employees should fully understand the definition of sexual harassment. Some of the examples of sexual harassment include:
-Unwanted flirting or repeated requests for dates that are turned down
-Touching and any bodily contact like patting or scratching the back of a co-worker, grabbing an employee around the waist, and so on.
-Posting or transmitting pictures or emails of a sexual or other harassment-related nature
-Playing sexually suggestive music
-Displaying sexually suggestive objects, posters, or pictures
-Unwanted gestures, jokes, unwelcome comments, and offensive words on clothing
- Consider Sexual Harassment Prevention and Discriminatory Treatment Training in Your Workplace
Regular and ongoing sexual harassment prevention and discriminatory treatment training for supervisors and employees is very important. It is good to provide refresher training on an annual or as-needed basis. Vinci Works has an e-learning course on diversity and equality that includes harassment prevention training.
- Ensure That Your Workplace Has a Policy Devoted to Sexual Harassment
Your organization needs to publish a sexual harassment at work policy and ensure that all employees know about the policy. The sexual harassment policy should clearly state clear whistleblowing procedures and the procedures of reporting sexual harassment in the workplace. If you are not aware of a policy devoted to sexual harassment in your workplace, talk to your line manager about having such a policy in the workplace.
- Raise Awareness
Raising awareness is the most effective way to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. People who are aware of behaviors that can be interpreted as sexual harassment are likely to avoid such behaviors and notice any form of sexual harassment. This short assessment will help employees measure their perception of sexual harassment in the workplace.
- Have Clear Harassment Reporting Procedures in Place
Employees should feel comfortable reporting behavior or behaviors that make them feel uncomfortable. The most recent allegations have taught us that staff has protected instead of reported colleagues behaving inappropriately at work.
- Consider Incorporating Staff Welfare into Review Meetings and Appraisals
Apart from giving you a chance to review the performance and achievements of your employees, these meetings allow employees to report any employee that has made them or their co-workers feel uncomfortable.
- Deal With any Concerns and Allegations As Soon As Possible
If an employee shares a concern with you, deal with it immediately. This is an important thing to do especially when dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace. Clear procedures in the workplace allow for any concern to be raised promptly and in an efficient way. Click here if you require legal advice.
- There Should Be A Staff Member Dedicated to Reviewing Allegations
It is good for your workplace to have a dedicated staff member who deals with concerns of sexual harassment. In a small or medium-sized business, this is usually an HR person. A larger organization, on the other hand, needs to have a staff member dedicated to concerns staff have (including all areas and not just sexual harassment).
- Zero Tolerance Policy
Your organization should have a clear zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment in the workplace. Any employee who is found guilty of sexually harassing his or her colleague or staff member has to face consequences for their actions regardless of their stature within the organization. A statement needs to be filed with the police if necessary.
- Report Any Concerns Immediately
If you feel like someone in your organization has behaved inappropriately towards you or you have concerns regarding a co-worker, raise your concern as soon as possible. Your company policy needs to highlight the importance of confidentiality so that you can raise your concern without fearing negative consequences like docked pay or being fired.
