The recent #metoo movement that took social media by storm, brought out the dirty side of the corporations. People are more vocal about sexual harassment and organizations have also become very strict regarding their conduct policies. They take these allegations seriously and ensure that the abuser can not get away with their conduct. A renowned Sexual Harassment Attorney has discussed some measures that will help you to deal with a compromised situation.
Call out the management
The higher authority of the company should ensure that they establish a message among their employees that any kind of unwanted sexual behavior is punishable. There will be strict steps taken if the accused person is pronounced guilty. Regardless of the employee’s status, the guilty person will be subject to termination and further legal actions. The management should take employee reviews regarding any kind of issues they might be facing. Anti-harassment training and workshops can be helpful to spread awareness.
Ensure the employees that they have confidential channels to repost the crimeÂ
Make your employees believe that there are channels that they can use to report the harassment, retaining confidentiality. Whistleblowing channels are a great way to ensure the safety of your employees.
Curate an anti-sexual harassment policyÂ
Establish the policy with the following aspects:
- Define the meaning of sexual harassment among your employees. Unwanted comments, touching, texting, sending nude pictures or pornographic content, etc., are considered sexual harassment.
- You can take various case studies from the internet and discuss them with your employee. It will give them insights and can be openly interpreted.
- Encourage employees that they can come for help and report any harassment that they are facing in the workplace.
Make sexual harassment training compulsoryÂ
Empowerment is not enough to help people regulate the way they behave and their code of conduct. It is also the fact that an employee can tell the management what is wrong with the system and if their safety is being compromised. With training, you can establish good work relations and with all the employees focused towards the same goal.
ConclusionÂ
People spend almost 7 to 8 hours in their workplace. The feeling of being watched or unwanted sexual conduct can traumatize the employees to an extent of resing the work. The employer should take responsibility and deal with any kind of misconduct that is hampering the peace and safety of the employees.Â