The workplace should be safe for everyone. Harassment incidents must be avoided at all costs. To do that, you may follow these recommendations.

Recently, Canadian Governor General Julie Payette resigned amid harassment claims. Her staff members had accused the stateswoman of bullying, which resulted in a toxic workplace environment. To address the issue, the Canadian government has launched an investigation spearheaded by a third party.

This is just one of the many high-profile workplace harassment cases that made it to the news as of late. Despite progressive movements that seek to foster diversity and respect among members of society and in smaller clusters like workplaces, specifically, it seems like the problem persists.

It is time to reevaluate workplace culture—why and how it permeates harassment and discrimination, and what must be done about it.

Workplace Harassment

Harassment in the workplace manifests in a variety of ways. Here are the most common types.

Discriminatory harassment : This happens when an employee experiences harassment that is overtly or covertly linked to their background, identity, or demographic detail. For example, if an Asian American brings food from home, and another colleague makes inappropriate comments about how gross the food is, that's racial discrimination. Other protected clauses include gender and sexuality, age, disability, and religion.

Sexual harassment : This happens when implicit or explicit sexual comments or advances are made by one colleague, putting another in an uncomfortable position professionally or Remember that workplace sexual harassment is not exclusively about sex. It's about the dynamics of power and control.
Personal harassment : This falls outside the protective clauses mentioned earlier. But it's just as demeaning for the victim. Example: An employee regularly taunting another employee just because the former does not like the latter.
Physical harassment : Any verbal or physical assault made by one colleague to another is considered physical harassment.

Power harassment : Consider the case mentioned earlier of disgraced Canadian Governor General Julie Payette as an example.

Psychological harassment : This type of harassment can be harder to pinpoint. But if there's undue mental distress caused by one employee to another, there's likely a case of psychological harassment. This mental distress may be triggered by malicious rumors spread, excessive criticism, or making an employee feel isolated, among others.

Third-party harassment : This happens when rank and file employees are harassed by suppliers, vendors, and clients.
Cyber ​​harassment : Employees who take their dislike of a colleague online or on social media may be accountable for workplace harassment.

Towards a Safe and Harassment-Free Workplace Environment

There are ways to address workplace harassment proactively. That means putting solutions in place even before a problem arises. Here are recommendations you may try.

1. Workplace harassment training is provided to employees, so they know how to do their job. The same logic should apply to how they behave at the workplace. Training specifically designed to teach employees about workplace harassment should be part of organizations' operational framework. The training should define harassment and thoroughly discuss its repercussions. Laying out preventive measures should also factor into the sessions. More than educating employees about what constitutes workplace harassment, training will also provide an organization with an avenue for an open forum. Here, everyone can share insights and questions. Men will hear from women. Employees from minority groups get to tell their stories to the dominant group.

Read full article How can Organizations Create a Safe and Harassment-Free Workplace?