Harassment is something no one wants to think about. But understanding what does and does not constitute harassment is fundamental to successfully providing a safe and productive work environment for all employees. Unfortunately, many managers must deal with wrongful allegations of harassment as disciplined or terminated employees go on the defensive.
There are two key areas of focus that can help minimize your exposure to wrongful allegations: policy and training
1. Have a written policy.
It’s not enough to say, “We don’t tolerate harassment.” Your company policy must be written and widely distributed to employees. The policy should:
- Address all unlawful harassment, not just sexual harassment.
- Provide examples of harassment, including both overt and subtle.
- Include electronic forms of communication, including social media.
- Outline your complaint procedure, including methods of filing a complaint and to whom complaints should be submitted.
- Address confidentiality, corrective measures, and zero tolerance for retaliation.
2. Train your team, starting at the top.
Every member of your workforce must be trained on your harassment policy. Training should be positioned as positive protection for all, absent of any intent—or perception of intent—to create a culture of fear.
Training should include a clear definition of what does and does not constitute harassment and how to file a complaint if they believe harassment has occurred. Managers should be trained on how to identify harassment, how to respond to a complaint, and steps they need to take to respond lawfully.
Training should occur periodically to keep all employees up to date with the important issues surrounding this topic.
Creating a culture of respect takes perseverance and hard work, but it will help mitigate incidents of harassment and minimize your exposure. Have you dusted off your harassment policy and given it a good review? Do you need a harassment policy and want to make sure it includes everything it should? Are you ready to offer training around your harassment policy? We can help! We have an extensive library of resources, will gladly work with you to write or update your policy, and can tailor training for your organization. Email us today to get started.
