Workplace harassment comes in many forms, and it has become a national topic of interest. In part due to the recent collective efforts of courageous women and men who stepped forward with their harrowing stories of sexual harassment and violence in professional settings, the conversation has been started.
 
Voices previously unheard are now being amplified and victims are being brought to justice. It’s important to do your part to fight sexual harassment in your own workplace, and there are a number of steps to do that.
 
The statistics
 
Some 33 million American women report workplace harassment. Whether it’s sexually motivated or targeted bullying due to jealousy, the consequences of harassment can be dire and lead to long-term mental health issues, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
 
One prevalent misconception about sexual, physical, and psychological abuse in the workplace is that it’s more common nowadays than in the past. The truth is more complicated. Before the #MeToo era, workplace harassment was certainly still happening.
 
However, due to social stigma, fear of backlash, and concerns about losing financial security, many victims chose not to report incidents. On the other hand, many employers who witnessed or heard rumors of harassment hoped the situation would resolve itself, so they wouldn’t have to get the authorities involved.
 
The bystander effect
 
The bystander effect is a psychological phenomenon that describes why plenty of otherwise well-meaning people fail to respond in compassionate ways when they witness harm against another person.
 
In cases of workplace harassment, the bystander effect is particularly common. Many employees are concerned about the backlash they could face for taking a stand in regards to what it is deemed a hot-button political issue. Plus, the majority of today’s working professionals are unprepared on how to handle cases of workplace harassment, so they might not be able to notice them when they see them.
 
Although most people would probably answer in the affirmative if they were asked whether they would stop an obvious case of sexual assault, the reality is that subtle forms of harassment can escape even the most observant worker’s notice.
 
Bystander training
 
Many employers mistakenly believe that their office is free of harassment, or even petty rivalries, because they don’t hear about them. But rather than relying on your employees to report incidents, assume that they might not know they’re happening at all.
 
Consider how you can best help them increase their awareness, and acknowledge that your team may not be doing everything they can at present — that’s how you improve, after all. The best way for employers to respond to workplace harassment is to learn to notice the signs, even subtle ones, and then set preventative measures.
 
You cannot reasonably expect to do this all on your own, which is why corporate training workshops are especially helpful for teams. A professionally guided workshop encourages and uplifts teams through a variety of exercises that help them hone in on specific signs of abuse.
 
Create a safe space
 
In addition to arranging a session with companies like TrainingABC, you should create an open-door policy where your employees feel comfortable sharing incidents with you. As the manager of a group of individuals with various different personality types and temperaments, you should be aware that not everyone will feel safe coming forward to report an incident.
 
Victims often struggle with feelings of doubt, self-blame, and shame. Many will minimize what happened to them or brush it off because they feel unreasonable. Women are statistically more likely to face workplace harassment, but men are more vulnerable to internalizing feelings of shame.
 
The stigma and fear associated with sexual harassment is only further exemplified when you take into consideration the different ways men and women are socialized. This is why it is very important for you, as their superior, to strive to create a space where everyone feels safe to speak to you without fear of retaliation or judgment.