Workplace harassment is a significant and all-too-common problem that can impact any organization. Companies of all sizes need to be proactive in taking steps to prevent workplace harassment and to immediately put a stop to any harassing behaviors that may occur.
Harassment Prevention is Critical
In the 2020 fiscal year alone, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received 67,448 charges of workplace discrimination. No organization is immune to workplace harassment. Preventing workplace harassment is greatly preferable to dealing with the problems created when it is allowed to occur.
Management Training Is Key
Having a strong harassment prevention policy is an important starting point for companies that want to reduce risk associated with workplace harassment. However, the fact that your company has a policy does not mean that harassment won’t occur.
Supervisory harassment prevention training is critical, as having managers who are properly trained to recognize workplace harassment and who know how to properly respond to potentially harassing behaviors can be a company’s best protection against workplace harassment.
Conversely, managers who are not properly trained pose a high risk. They may allow risky behaviors to occur because they do not fully understand what workplace harassment is or mistakenly believe that certain types of behaviors are fine as long as no one complains.
Effective Supervisory Harassment Prevention Training
Not all harassment prevention training for managers is equal. Effective supervisory harassment prevention training needs to include several key elements. At a minimum, supervisory training needs to include:
A thorough explanation of your company’s harassment prevention policy
Exactly what characteristics are protected (hint: there are 11 as of 2015)
Definitions of quid pro quo, hostile environment and retaliation
Real world examples of situations that represent workplace harassment and retaliation (obvious and non-obvious)
Key factors that create liability for the company and its managers
How to respond to a compliant (formal or otherwise) of workplace harassment
How to recognize situations that may require HR involvement
Additional key information relevant to harassment prevention
Protect Your Organization
It is a mistake to assume that having a policy alone is sufficient to protect your organization against the risk of workplace harassment. Ongoing supervisory sexual harassment prevention training for supervisors should be included in every company's risk management strategy.
Ideally, supervisors should complete harassment prevention training every year. Being able to demonstrate that the company is in the habit of effectively and frequently training its supervisors on this important issue can go a long way toward demonstrating that your company takes harassment prevention seriously and that steps were taken to prevent harassment from occurring.
Schedule Training for Your Group
If you’d like to schedule harassment prevention training for your company’s supervisors, Inside Insights can help. Our experienced, expert trainers can deliver interactive, engaging supervisory training focused on what supervisors (at all levels) need to know about workplace harassment. We virtual and on-site training for groups of all sizes. Contact us at 423-380-8235 or training@InsideInsights.info to schedule training for your group.