The #MeToo movement has been a milestone, pushing sexual harassment issues to the forefront. To help organizations address it properly, ESI Group is now offering free sexual harassment training courses.
A cultural shift has taken place in the American workplace over the past year. Driven by women coming forward to make sexual harassment claims against public figures in many different industries, the #MeToo movement pushed a prevalent workplace issue into the light. These cases show that now more than ever, employers need to take preventative action on sexual harassment issues rather than merely reacting when a crisis happens.
ESI Group, an expert in employee assistance programs, offers training to support such action. They include online training courses that can stop sexual harassment before it happens and provide assistance to those who have experienced sexual harassment.
ESI Group has now taken the step of offering these sexual harassment training courses for free.
“What’s happened this past year in the #MeToo movement has been a milestone in our culture,” said Diane Dunbar, President of ESI Group. “Many business leaders want to do the right thing and create a healthy, productive work environment for employees. We felt it was important to offer a free way to accomplish that and provide organizations a real solution to this issue.”
ESI Group works with more than 1.5 million members and 2,000 employer organizations. They have trained thousands on sexual harassment issues and employee and supervisor compliance training. The company believes awareness and prevention of these issues are a key component to any successful organization.
Recent high-profile sexual harassment cases have included men from many industries, including movie studio chief Harvey Weinstein, actor Kevin Spacey, journalists Bill O’Reilly and Charlie Rose, TV personality Matt Lauer and U.S. Senator Al Franken. While these accusations led to all of them losing their jobs, it also has a damaging impact on businesses that employ them and their co-workers.
The costs can prove substantial. Defending employee charges related to harassment lawsuits averages $160,000. But the worst damage comes from individual emotional damage, a tarnished reputation, reduced workplace morale and high employee turnover.
ESI Group hopes this free offer can help prevent such issues in the future and help both employers and employees understand the importance of a workplace where everyone is treated with respect.
About ESI Group
ESI Group is redefining the concept of employee assistant programs. ESI offers services to both employees and employers, working with 2000 employers and 1.5 million members in the United States, Caribbean, and Canada. ESI works with employers across a wide variety of industries, as well as with governments, public safety, healthcare, education and nonprofit agencies. The company has a more than 98 percent member satisfaction and client renewal rate.
