A Workplace Menace

A Workplace Menace

Sexual harassment has been getting so much attention lately with stories of very bad behavior from some high-profile and "powerful" people. Nearly all employers have seen these stories, and many employees have been talking about these stories at the water cooler and on lunch breaks.

With all of the high-profile attention given to this topic, is it safe to assume that the problem is under reported in "mom and pop" businesses throughout the country?

We believe so – yes, even with the spotlight on sexual harassment. In many businesses sexual harassment is far from a completely understood concept and because of this, it remains in the dark, and under-reported.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) task force estimates that in 2016 roughly 25%-85% of American women have experienced harassment on the job. Even if we are talking the low end of the EEOC estimates, that is a staggering number. Imagine the impact on your employees, the company culture and the cost to your business. It is impossible to calculate the damage this workplace menace can do to everyone involved.

Thankfully, there are several ways to attack this problem. In our experience the first place to start is with training. No, not the quirky video that was filmed in 1985. We have all seen those and we have all giggled at the overacting and phony scenarios.

What we have found most beneficial is live training. This can be either on-site with an instructor, or in certain instances video conferencing can be utilized. The most CRITICAL factors are that the training must be realistic, live and interactive. By offering training you help to shine a light on sexual harassment, bringing it out of the darkness and accurately defining a previously misunderstood issue.

Rick Maher

CEO

Turning Point HCM

www.TurningPointHCM.com