Workplace harassment is unwanted behavior that makes an employee feel uncomfortable or creates a hostile environment, often based on factors such as race, gender, age, or sexual orientation. Laws protect employees from harassment, which must be unwelcome, offensive, and affect job performance. Sexual advances and biased remarks are common forms of harassment, but employers are taking a more aggressive stance and using sensitivity training to prevent it. Governments also enact legislation to protect employees from workplace harassment.
Workplace harassment is any type of unwanted action against an employee that causes difficulty performing assigned tasks or causes the employee to feel that they are working in a hostile environment. Harassment can be based on factors such as race, gender, culture, age, sexual orientation or religious preference. In many countries, there are laws that protect employees from this type of workplace abuse, if the reality of the harassment can be proven.
In general, there are several factors that must be present in order for workplace harassment to be recognized. First, the conduct must be unwelcome and offensive to the employee. Second, the employee must voice their objection to the behavior, allowing the offending individual or individuals to correct their behavior in the workplace. Finally, the conduct must be of a nature that affects the employee’s ability to perform their duties efficiently and responsibly.
Some forms of workplace harassment are more common than others. Unwanted sexual advances from coworkers or supervisors are the most often cited form of workplace harassment. Both male and female employees may be contacted by someone in the workplace who directly suggests or states that compliance will benefit the employee in some way, or at least help ensure that the job continues. Today, many countries have laws that protect employees of all genders from this type of harassment.
Workplace harassment can also take the form of biased remarks or insipid jokes that have to do with an individual’s personal beliefs, age, or sexual orientation. While harassment of this type is rife in many offices and other workplaces, employers are starting to take a more aggressive stance on name calling, name calling, and veiled threats that target employees for any of these reasons. Additionally, many countries are expanding harassment laws to include irresponsible remarks and various forms of intimidation that have to do with age, religion, and orientation.
Since the latter part of the 20th century, more employers have put in place specific procedures for reporting and evaluating situations involving workplace harassment. At best, the goal of reporting is to identify unacceptable behavior and correct problems so that everyone can feel more comfortable in the workplace. However, internal politics within the company can lead to both downplaying legitimate complaints and making people easily falsely accused of harassing another employee.
More progressive employers use sensitivity training to assist employees in dealing with workplace harassment. Training often involves helping everyone better understand the different cultures and other characteristics that are relevant to those who work for the company. By dispelling myths about issues such as age, gender, orientation and race, the hope is that colleagues will become better educated and therefore less likely to engage in behavior that is hurtful to a colleague.
Even as companies take steps to police the actions of their employees, local and national governments enact legislation that grants people legal protection from many forms of workplace harassment. Protection of this type is especially important in situations where a company does not have a well-defined process for dealing with reported harassment or officers are indifferent to the intimidation and hostile work environment that workplace harassment creates.
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