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People go to work to complete their tasks and earn money; they do not enter their workplaces to be harassed. However, according to the Civil Mediation Council, 30% of working Americans have suffered from abuse in the workplace. This proves that numerous individuals are not sufficiently protected when they are working.
If you are an employer, then some of this responsibility falls on your shoulders. You must create a workplace that is fair and inclusive, where harassment is prohibited. To ensure your employees are protected from workplace harassment, follow the steps outlined in this post.
Create a Comprehensive Anti-Harassment Policy
Many, if not all, workplaces will have several policies in place. These are often to protect the business and its employees from harm, whether that is through health and safety, work-life balance, or harassment. It is the latter that can be dealt with by creating an anti-harassment policy.
An anti-harassment policy must define what constitutes harassment; this will include the various types like racial harassment, sexual harassment, and harassment based on other protected characteristics. The policy should also outline the correct reporting procedures. These procedures might be different depending on the workplace, but there should be multiple reporting channels to ensure accessibility and confidentiality.
Disciplinary actions, sanctions, and other consequences for harassment should be specified in this anti-harassment policy, too. There must be another section in the policy that addresses retaliation; this will make sure employees who do report harassment are not penalized for doing so.
Provide Employees with Regular Training
Once the anti-harassment policy has been created, all employees must be made aware of this policy. They, including managers and supervisors, should be trained to identify harassment and report it through the correct procedures. This training will also cover the consequences of harassment to ensure everyone knows what happens if they mistreat their colleagues.
The training employees are given could be completed through the use of interactive training methods, such as group discussions and video scenarios. These strategies could enhance engagement, but it is essential that the training is updated regularly to reflect the best practices in the business’ industry and the law. Updates will ensure that the training is relevant for refresher courses that should be carried out annually.
But this training will be useful to promote an inclusive work environment where harassment is not tolerated. Additional training should be given to managers, as they will be responsible for assessing and managing risks of harassment, conducting investigations fairly, and handling complaints from workers.
Conduct Thorough Investigations
As briefly mentioned in the previous point, conducting thorough investigations is also necessary to protect employees from harassment. When harassment complaints are received, they should be investigated promptly, no matter the position or seniority of the alleged harasser.
Investigations should involve a neutral and objective party in this process to ensure it is fair to all of those involved. If an individual or several workers are found to have engaged in workplace harassment, then appropriate disciplinary action should be taken.
To conclude, there is a lot that an employer can do to ensure their staff remain safe and well at work. This will also include protecting them from harassment, even from their coworkers. As outlined in this post, employers should create anti-harassment policies, train employees regularly, and conduct investigations when necessary.
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