ComplyRightComplyRightComplyRightComplyRight
  • RESOURCES
    • Knowledge Center
      • Tip Sheets
      • E-Guides
      • Podcasts
      • Infographics
      • Videos
    • Webinars
      • Upcoming
      • On Demand
    • Research and Trends
      • Compliance Survey
      • Trend Surveys
      • Minimum Wage Monitor
    • HR 101 Courses

      HR 101 Courses
      Learn More
  • TOPICS
    • I want to learn about:
      • Hiring an Employee
      • Creating Policies
      • Paying Employees
      • Discrimination & Harassment
    • Column 2
      • Employment Law
      • Labor Law Postings
      • Employee Leave
      • Employee Recordkeeping
    • Category 3
      • Independent Contractors
      • Tax Reporting
      • Improving Employee Performance
      • Firing an Employee
    • Would Your Workplace Practices Hold Up in an EEOC Investigation?

      EEOC Investigation
      Read More
  • SOLUTIONS
    • Employee Management
      • Hiring
      • Time and Attendance
      • Training and Safety
      • Recordkeeping
      • Employee Policies
    • Labor Law Posters
      • Poster Guard® Service
      • ComplyRight Posters
      • Electronic Posters
      • Employee Handouts
      • Partner Solutions
    • Tax Information Reporting
      • DIY Filing Solutions
      • Processing Services
      • Partner Solutions
    • Featured Solution

      Poster Guard Compliance Protection
      Learn More
  • ABOUT
    • Who is ComplyRight
      • Mission
      • Core Values
      • Leaders
      • Newsroom
      • Contact
    • Careers
      • Culture
      • Benefits and Perks
    • Brands
      • HRdirect
      • HRdirect Smart Apps
      • Poster Guard
      • eFile4Biz
    • Join Our Team

      Join Our Team
      Learn More
  • SUBSCRIBE

Take Control: Powerful – and Practical – Tactics to Prevent Workplace Harassment

Take Control: Powerful – and Practical – Tactics to Prevent Workplace Harassment
Published on July 22, 2019
  • Discrimination & Harassment
  • Sexual Harassment

Do you feel like your hands are tied when it comes to workplace harassment? You’re not alone. Many employers know they should do something to address the issue. But they just aren’t sure how to handle such a sensitive and uncomfortable subject.

Unfortunately, ignoring it can be an expensive mistake. Harassment costs businesses millions of dollars each year through poor employee morale, reduced productivity and litigation.

Help is here. These practical strategies will give you the tools to prevent workplace harassment in your workplace – before it starts.

Put Your Company on Solid Ground

Sexual harassment gets most of the headlines. However, lawsuits are filed every day alleging harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, and other legally protected characteristics.

Although diversity in today’s society benefits the workplace, old habits die hard. Many people still retain stereotypes and biases they bring to work. You can’t control stereotypical thinking but you can control your workplace and take action to prevent unwanted behavior.

The first step is to create a no-harassment policy. In fact, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) declares that it is “critical” for every employer to develop and distribute an anti-harassment policy.

Your policy should include a clear explanation of harassment and specific types of prohibited conduct. It should encourage employees to report harassment immediately and explain the internal complaint procedure. The policy should specify at least two contacts within your company who are properly trained to investigate complaints.

Set Expectations for Acceptable Conduct

Your company’s training should reinforce that prohibited conduct will not be tolerated. Employees should be given examples of all forms of harassment. And it’s important to emphasize both severe and subtle instances. Behavior doesn’t necessarily have to be blatant to be illegal. To be illegal it must be severe or pervasive.

Use engaging training materials with fresh, current and interactive content. Include scenarios that fit within your company culture. Don’t only include office situations if you run a construction company, for example.

Many employees may not know what constitutes unlawful harassment and may not recognize when their actions are offensive or illegal. Training can help prevent harassment from occurring in the first place.

Stress personal accountability. Of course, employees should not engage in illegal behavior. But beyond that, your staff should never allow an uncomfortable situation to escalate. It’s every worker’s responsibility to either tell the offending employee to stop or walk away.

In addition to the basics, your supervisors will require additional training. Here are some points to cover:

  • DO set a good example as a manager
  • DO take all complaints seriously, even if your initial judgment is that the complaint is unwarranted
  • DO report any complaints immediately to designated contacts
  • DON’T use your position to request personal favors of any kind
  • DON’T wait for a complaint if you personally observe something that is likely to be offensive
  • DON’T retaliate against any complainant
  • DON’T tell complainants to “just ignore it”
  • DON’T promise confidentiality as complaints can only be kept as confidential as possible

It’s important to note that certain states have begun requiring employers to provide harassment training. And many more are expected to follow suit.

Create a Compassionate Company Culture

A study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that “respectful treatment of all employees” was the number-one contributor to job satisfaction. And “trust between employees and senior management” was the second.

One way to achieve a company culture of respect and trust is through open communication. Ask for – and encourage – employee feedback at every opportunity. Strive to create an environment where employees feel free to raise concerns and are confident those concerns will be addressed.

Don’t Postpone It Any Longer

If you haven’t conducted harassment training in the past year, it’s time to get it on the calendar. The Harassment Training Smart App from HRdirect provides a web-based solution for businesses of all sizes to provide up-to-date and compliant harassment training.

This affordable training program is delivered via PowerPoint slides and is specific to both employees and managers. Best of all, you can choose to present the training in a group setting or have employees complete it themselves at their own pace.

HR101 Course 5

HR101 Courses

Promote a harassment-free workplace with HR 101 Courses

Learn More

Related Content

  • EEOC Investigation
    Would Your Workplace Practices Hold Up in an EEOC Investigation?
    December 28, 2020

    Although the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated our attention in 2020, employers must remain vigilant about maintaining an inclusive, diverse workplace … Read more

    Discrimination & Harassment

    Policies

  • Diversity in the Workplace
    Going Beyond Diversity in the Workplace: The Importance of Inclusion and Overcoming Unconscious Bias
    November 2, 2020

    Does your workplace embrace diverse opinions, preferences and perspectives? Do your front-line supervisors recognize the importance of inclusion in their … Read more

    Discrimination & Harassment

  • play-button
    Reap the Benefits of Diversity and Prevent Costly Discrimination Claims
    October 2020

    Most employers have come to recognize the value of a diverse workforce. Hiring a diverse team is only the first … Read more

    Discrimination & Harassment

    Discrimination

    Interviews

    Job Applications

  • Minimum Wages Increaseplay-button
    Forecast of Future Minimum Wage Changes and Strategies for Keeping Current
    September 2020

    While the federal minimum wage has remained $7.25 for more than a decade, it’s a very different story at state … Read more

    Discrimination & Harassment

  • Political Harassment at Work
    How to Avoid Conflict and Political Harassment at Work: Your 5 Biggest Questions Answered
    September 1, 2020

    With the 2020 presidential election right around the corner, political discussions (and in many cases, debates) are picking up steam. … Read more

    Discrimination & Harassment

    Politics at Work

  • Workplace Harassment
    Five Ways to Prevent Workplace Trash-Talk During Major Sporting Events
    March 2, 2020

    Friendly workplace discussions about sports occasionally lead to intense debates, which can then escalate into disruptive verbal conflicts. High-profile events … Read more

    Discrimination & Harassment

  • Lisa is responsible for the daily researching and monitoring of city, county, healthcare, and restaurant labor law posting requirements and mandatory employee handouts for U.S. businesses. Lisa has several years’ experience doing detailed research for customer service and regulatory compliance matters, and is dedicated to keeping labor law posters compliant with state and local laws.
    Hair’s the Deal: Natural Hair Discrimination Is Now Illegal in Certain States
    November 20, 2019

    An individual’s hair is a very personal matter and, increasingly, a protected characteristic in the workplace. Nationwide, states are tackling … Read more

    Discrimination & Harassment

    Discrimination

  • LGBTQ workplace discrimination
    LGBTQ Rights Take Center Stage: Are You Fostering a Discrimination-Free Workplace?
    October 16, 2019

    LGBTQ rights are making headlines again with the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) currently reviewing three cases that … Read more

    Discrimination & Harassment

    Discrimination

Newsletter Subscribe

Get the latest news and free resources from ComplyRight delivered straight to your inbox.

Thank You

You've just unlocked a wealth of FREE resources to build HR confidence.

ComplyRight provides free educational resources related to employee management, labor law and compliance. Better understand HR basics and learn how to address specific issues by browsing our knowledge center.

Please enter a valid email address.

Thank you. We already have your email address on file.

An error occurred while processing your request. Please try again.

Upcoming Webinar

Webinar Name

Date & Time

Presented by:

Learn More
Shop Our Brands 
HRdirect
HRdirect Smart Apps
Poster Guard
Formstax eFile4Biz

At ComplyRight, our mission is to free employers from the burden of tracking and complying with the complex web of federal, state and local employment laws, so they can stay focused on managing and growing their businesses.

©2020 ComplyRight, Inc.

Resources

  • Knowledge Center
  • Webinars
  • Research and Trends
  • Courses

Solutions

  • Employee Management
  • Labor Law Posters
  • Tax Information Reporting

About

  • Who is ComplyRight
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Brands

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Popular Topics

Performance Policies Employee Leave Discrimination and Harassment Employment Law HiringLabor Law PostingsIndependent Contractors

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Subscribe

Follow Us

  • RESOURCES
    • Knowledge Center
      • Tip Sheets
      • E-Guides
      • Podcasts
      • Infographics
      • Videos
    • Webinars
      • Upcoming
      • On Demand Webinars
    • Research and Trends
      • Compliance Survey
      • Trend Surveys
      • Minimum Wage Monitor
    • HR 101 Courses
  • TOPICS
    • Hiring an Employee
    • Creating Policies
    • Paying Employees
    • Discrimination & Harassment
    • Employment Law
    • Labor Law Postings
    • Employee Leave
    • Employee Recordkeeping
    • Independent Contractors
    • Tax Reporting
    • Improving Employee Performance
    • Firing an Employee
  • SOLUTIONS
    • Employee Management
      • Hiring
      • Time and Attendance
      • Training and Safety
      • Recordkeeping
      • Employee Policies
    • Labor Law Posters
      • ComplyRight Posters
      • Poster Guard®
      • Partner Solutions
    • Tax Information Reporting
      • DIY Filling Solutions
      • Processing Services
      • Partner Solutions
  • ABOUT
    • Who is ComplyRight
    • Newsroom
    • Careers
    • Brands
    • Contact Us
  • SUBSCRIBE
ComplyRight