We are constantly hearing of sexual harassment
allegations involving high profile individuals. As an HR professional I think
to myself why are these sexual
harassment behaviors occurring so often? This has touched everyone in some
way. One can’t help to think of a time
when they themselves were in a precarious situation that they had to delicately
navigate while balancing an element of fear amidst trying to maintain their dignity
and professionalism.
According to the article “Indecent Behavior” in the February
2018 edition of HR Magazine 64% of Americans
say sexual harassment in the work place is a serious problem. “Only 42% of the
women reported the inappropriate behavior to a supervisor and 95% said the men
went unpunished.”
My immediate thought is WOW! And then my next thought is
that I work for a fantastic company that does not allow this type of
conduct. I then think what potentially
differentiates us from other companies and I think about the training that we
offer our workforce and what we have done to establish this at the earliest
stages of one’s career and continue that training throughout.
The first step is to start with the true definition of
sexual harassment. Then, the next step
is to educate your workforce on the definition and how to recognize sexual
harassment, a hostile work environment or discrimination. The next step is to
establish a zero-tolerance policy and further establish a no fear of
retaliation for those who bring a complaint or concern to light. If those four aspects exist, it creates an
environment where it is far less likely that inappropriate behaviors will
happen. Now, we are talking about people, and people will react to different
situations in their own way. And how individuals express themselves will vary
with each person.
But I go back to current events, would someone like a
Harvey Weinstein would have been able to continue the behaviors that were so
offensive for so long? As an HR professional I can’t help to think what
happened here? His company enabled him and worked to cover him, clearly out of
fear of retaliation. So, if all the elements I mentioned above existed in
Harvey Weinstein’s company, would that situation have continued for as long as
it did? In my opinion, the company is
just as much at fault as Weinstein. The
thought of what went on is disturbing to say the least. But it is clear to me that it is the education
piece that is key. What is also important
is that this component of education needs to be constant and consistent. A onetime meeting will not help as there
needs to be constant awareness.
How do you know if a company has the components I
mentioned earlier? My suggestions are
to reach out on LinkedIn and connect with current employees; Ask questions
about the company’s culture and environment to both employees and the hiring
managers; Do research using
glassdoor.com and similar sites to see what the company’s employees are talking
about and what stands out both positive and negative and look at the company’s
values to make sure they align with your own personal values. Finally an actual visit to a location, if
that is an option, could also be very telling.
I am hopeful, as a result of the current events regarding
sexual harassment, there is more of a sense of awareness and more of an
understanding of what is considered sexual harassment behavior and what will
not be tolerated in the work place.
Debbie Fischer, Talent Acquisition Manager
Enterprise Holdings
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