Sexual harassment –  HR’s biggest challenge

All of us in HR have been overwhelmed by the recent media reports of sexual harassment within our workplaces. This is a global phenomena with multiple powerful males being called out for predatory sexual behavior. Most would have thought that their position, persona, wealth and corporate net worth protected them from their relatively subordinate and dependent victims who knew that to call them out came at enormous potential cost to their careers and emotions.

Sexual harassment is pernicious, invasive, always unwelcome and very disturbing .Sometimes it is disguised as office banter, fun, joshing, satirical acts or leg pulling but the intent of the perpetrator is always clear and unequivocal.


Take this quiz if you are in any doubt about whether you, your workplace or others are a victim. Just ‘yes’ to one of that below is proof enough.

1 Unwelcome physical contact from another of either sex – groping, touching, rubbing, massaging, brushing, stroking and the like
2 Use of score-cards, ranking or rating the sex-appeal of  co-workers
3 Unwelcome comments with sexual overtones or sexual innuendo
4 Displays of sexually explicit, pornographic or suggestive material
5 Sexual jokes that create offence
6 Obscene, suggestive or lewd text messages, notes, emails, phone calls, voice mails, tweets, photos
7 Solicitations for sex or intimate activity
8 Invasion of personal space with sexual overtones
9 Comments about physical appearance or endowments or lack thereof with sexual innuendo
10 Use of rituals, initiations, inductions, hazing (often described as ‘bonding’ or ‘rites of passage’) that have sexual aspects
11 Questions or speculation about another’s sex life
12 Unwanted invitations or proposals for a date
13 Unwelcome comment about another’s sexuality
14 Intrusive, offensive and unwarranted comments about sex
15 Requests for sex or personal intimacy in return for a benefit – pay rise, promotion, performance ranking, project, travel, gig, casting, assignment and the like
16 Blackmail or attempts thereat re another’s sexuality or sexual activity or preferences
17 Speculation or gossip about another’s intimate relationships
18 Unwelcome invitations or suggestions to hug, embrace, kiss, cuddle or the like
19 Sexual banter disguised as workplace humor
20 Comments, stories, fantasies, or revelations from a perpetrator  about their own sexuality that are uninvited and unwanted yet broadcast or shared with another

Total No. of Yeses   ……………

Just one is proof enough!


Behavior such as the above requires action. Where you have a serial offender there has been a clear failure of leadership!

If you are a victim you need to act. If you observe it you need to act too.

Sadly some leaders engage in such behavior. Some apparently think that their power, wealth, profile or status affords then a license to act appallingly.

In my experience women are good lecher detectors but are generally reluctant to disclose when affronted by the skirt-chaser. Non-disclosure just exacerbates the problem and gives license to the perpetrator to assail ever more. If you are victim or a witness, where do you stand on this?

My memo to HR:  The types of behaviors referenced above have been, and remain, a significant challenge for the HR function. There is a simple test to check if you add value in this space: – do the bullied, harassed, embarrassed, frightened and affronted come to you knowing that HR will handle the matter expeditiously and with sensitivity, compassion and care? If the answer is ‘no’ then HR is not up to it and a bad corporate culture permeates the organization.

My memo to women – especially those who choose to remain mute. You suffer some disadvantage for one reason – gender. Here are some things to contemplate:

Work hard in your silence – let success make your noise

Work your own grass – you won’t then notice his next door

I wake up in the morning and realize that I don’t have what it takes to be average

Don’t worry about the competition just be a better HER

The C-suite might be the men’s room but have the balls to break in

I was born female – a disadvantage I reject

Success – it’s my choice

Don’t wait for change – create it

Make your way into HR and make things happen for your gender

Be unambiguous – say ‘I refuse to take your shit!’

♀ - with grit

Well, the memo above probably didn’t help much, so what to do if you are victim of sexual harassment at work?  In my next blog ‘I won’t take it any more’ I offer 20 things to do or to contemplate.