Most people learn early on in life that there are topics that are not always appropriate for certain social settings and rely on common courtesy when engaging in a conversation about a sensitive topic that they feel may not be well received by another person. In a workplace setting, it is even more important to use the same common courtesy principles as you interact with people beyond your social circle, who represent many different views, interests and backgrounds.
Rather than leaving it to speculation, it is important for employers to establish guidelines on what is appropriate to talk about in the workplace. Not all employees have the common sense or decency to know their boundaries, which is why it is important for employers, regardless of size, to anticipate these instances and educate all members of the company on how to handle sticky situations.
Located below are several steps employers can take to maintain a harassment-free work environment and limit any legal exposure:
- Develop an Anti-Harassment Policy - It is important for companies to develop a clear anti-harassment policy to explain the do’s and don’ts in the workplace and identify the appropriate process to follow in the event of an occurrence. It is also important that employers address how to handle “off hours” company events. These events are in no means excused from the policy. Employers should communicate this policy upon hiring each new employee and hold company meetings annually to reinforce the policy.
- Develop a Complaint Filing Process – To support an anti-harassment policy, employers need to identify a structured process to handle the workflow and filing requirements for a harassment complaint. As part of this process, it is important to select key members within the organization to be involved if a case occurs. Key areas to consider are Management, HR, and Legal.
- Educate All Employees - Once the policy and process is developed, it needs to be communicated to ALL employees. Employers should conduct annual mandatory training seminars to explain and reiterate the information in the anti-harassment policy. Allow employees to ask questions so they can better understand what is inappropriate and how to report it if a situation occurs.
- Follow the Same Rules - It is important that everyone in the company follow the same rules, regardless of level or position in the company. Otherwise, the policy will not be taken seriously.
There are just a few tips on how to ensure that everyone in the office is on the same page when it comes to what is appropriate to talk about in the workplace. How does your office limit innappropriate conversations at work?
