Harassment charges seem to be the number one charge filed against employers. Surveys show that women between the ages of 18 and 34 one out of every three women say they have been harassed in the workplace. There are also an increasing number of men who now report being sexually harassed at work. The definition of sexual harassment is written in such broad terms that there are many people who do not even realize they what they are doing can be perceived as sexually harassing. That is where anti-harassment training comes in and every new hire should be required to take it. Every employee in the company, executives included, should retake the training once every two years.
Harassment can be Costly
Any type of harassment comes with a high price. You will see an employee missing work because they are too scared to be there or the stress is making them ill. Even when they are present, their work suffers, both in quantity and quality because they are distracted. A contentious workplace affects your employees’ attitudes and increases turnover causing you to constantly train new employees. The largest cost by far is litigation. When an employee brings a suit against your company there is the cost of defending it and if you lose, settlements can run in the thousands if not millions in the case of larger corporations.
Harassment Policy
Should assign a structure for reporting complaints and it should also make sure that all your employees are aware that you intend to respond quickly and efficiently to complaints. Your employees need to understand that you will not tolerate harassment of any kind in your company. You should also put up the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) employment poster. Interactive Services can assist you in forming a policy that meets all the proper standards and in training all of your employees in the correct behavior while on the job.
For more information on anti-harassment training, You should visit Interactive Services online.
