In theory, sexual harassment is a gender neutral offense. Men can sexually harass women and women can sexually harass men. However, statistics show that the majority of sexual harassment claims are brought by women. People of the same sex can also sexually harass each other as long as the harassment is based on sex rather than gender orientation. Title VII can be claimed in such cases as it protects against discrimination on the basis of sex.
Sexual harassment remains prevalent in the modern workplace and one that requires concerted efforts by progressively minded companies and individuals if we wish to dramatically improve the work experience of so many long-suffering employees. Recent reports of a high-profile Hollywood producer’s antics serve to highlight that no workplace or industry is immune to the unwarranted sexual advances of delinquent managers, supervisors, colleagues and clients.
Every business should consider how its current policies and practices may inadvertently contribute to a culture of acceptance or denial of this practice. The recent social media #MeToo campaign, where victims of sexual harassment identified themselves using the hashtag, emphasized the magnitude of the problem. Within one day, Twitter confirmed that #MeToo had been tweeted more than a half a million times. Sexual harassment is a serious issue which needs to be proactively tackled and prevented by companies.
There are a number of steps companies can take to address sexual harassment:
To reduce and eliminate sexual harassment:
- Train employees – Semi-annual training sessions could be held for employees. These sessions should educate employees on what welcome and unwelcome behavior is. The company complaint procedure should be reviewed and employees should be encouraged to use it if needed. Educating employees on sexual harassment is an important step to eliminating it. Trainings on bystander intervention should be also made mandatory for employees.
- A clear sexual harassment policy must be adopted which should be specific and watertight. The policy must define sexual harassment and state a clear procedure for filing sexual harassment complaints. It should be stated clearly that the company will not tolerate sexual harassment and anyone found guilty of this act will have their contracts terminated
- Supervisor and Manager trainings – Semi-annual training sessions for supervisors and managers should be carried out. These sessions should be completely autonomous from employee training sessions. These sessions should be geared towards understanding the sexual harassment policies and the consequences as well as train supervisors and managers how to deal with complaints from their subordinates.
To address effectively instances of sexual harassment that do occur:
It is essential to make sure that the organizations policy relative to sexual harassment must be understood by all employees. Everyone should be informed of the strict repercussions of such behavior. When an employee complains that he or she is experiencing sexual harassment of any type, the employer has a legal and ethical obligation to thoroughly investigate the charges. To address effectively instances of sexual harassment a company should follow the following procedure:
- Provide different ways in which an employee can make a formal charge or complaint that is confidential. There should be alternatives to making complains other than to the employees supervisors or managers. This can be through Human resources or even the CEO or president of the company.
- Assign an independent staff member to process the complaint. This person should have undergone specialized trainings and must be knowledgeable about the organization, the people and the policies.
- Map out a plan according to the organization’s policy to investigate the situation and people involved in the incident.
- The company should ensure that the people registering the complaint should be guaranteed safety from any form of retaliation.
- Strict action must be taken after the investigation is complete and consultations with the company’s attorney if the person accused is found guilty.
- Assure that no further incidents occur by following up, and documenting your follow-up. with the employee who made the original harassment claim.
I believe companies must help victim follow up with legal action against the person responsible for sexual harassment. A sexual harassment policy is essential in any workplace, but even more so is how the employer gives effect to it. Employers should ensure that some level of induction or training on harassment and discrimination is provided to employees, especially newly hired staff. Creating an audit trail of complaints lodged and steps taken could avoid some of the difficulties faced by the employer. Perhaps a process similar to a whistleblowing hotline, managed externally, could be used to allow staff to report incidents of sexual harassment.
All businesses should adopt a tough stance on sexual harassment and create a workplace free of harassment and discrimination. This is not only critical from a legal and reputational risk perspective, but also is key to ensuring we change perceptions and eradicate this abominable behavior.
This essay was originally at: https://www.essaysauce.com/sample-essays/2018-3-18-1521402855/