We all thrive for a safe place when it comes to work, but as they say, once you step out of your house, nothing is going to be according to your wish. All you can do is find ways to tackle the problems and move on. Similarly, workplace problems are no more hidden, we all know what we go through or what might happen. Discrimination at the workplace is one part of it and the most horrendous scenario is sexual harassment. Being an employer, it becomes your moral obligation to provide a safe environment for your employees and if you have seen someone become a victim of sexual harassment at the workplace, do not tolerate it and straightaway consults an attorney. You can simply look for sexual harassment attorneys near me and you will find a lot of searches.
You as an employer cannot ignore these kind of scenarios as it can directly affect your employees, their work performance, and in the end the work culture. It is important to know how your employees feel at work and there are certain steps that you must take in order to minimize the risk of sexual harassment at the workplace.
Sexual harassment policy
This becomes the most vital part when you are creating your company policy. Make sure that you are adding a separate section of the “Sexual Harassment Policy” in the employee handbook. The policy must define what is sexual harassment at the workplace, what steps to take if you become a victim, how to follow discipline at the workplace, the procedure of filing a complaint of sexual harassment, and many more. Once you clear out all these things in the employee handbook, they will have a clear idea of what can be done in the worst case.
Employee training
Once you create the sexual harassment policy, it is important that you train your employees accordingly. Being the employer, you must conduct full-fledged training sessions every year explaining the rights of the employees at the workplace and how they should not tolerate sexual harassment. Also, make sure that you are explaining the complaint filing procedures to the employees so that they won’t hesitate in any case.
Special training sessions for top-level management
Employee training is necessary, but also you must train the managers and supervisors. Conduct separate training sessions for the managers and supervisors in order to enlighten them on how to deal with sexual harassment cases. When a sexual harassment incident happens with an employee, he or she first comes to the manager and in such cases, the manager must know what steps to take and that can only happen with the training.
One on one sessions
You are the employer and your employees look up to you when it comes to a safe workplace. Thus, go out there and talk to your employees frequently. If possible, conduct one on one sessions with your employees and ask them about the work culture, how they feel, or if they are facing any problems. This will help you to get an idea of what goes on in the inside. Monitoring the workplace would help you to make necessary changes. Also, communication with everyone keeps the environment healthy.
Respond to every complaint
If your employees come to you with a complaint regarding sexual harassment, make sure that you are acting against every complaint. Do not ignore at cost as your employee’s career and mental state is at stake here. Immediately investigate in the case and if you find a valid issue, act intelligently.
Being an employer, the responsibility of the employees and the workplace is on your shoulders and you cannot handle everything. That is why, in cases of sexual harassment, you must have your attorney ready to investigate the matter. If any serious cases arise, your sexual harassment attorney will efficiently handle the legal part so that you can keep your workplace safe. Look for sexual harassment attorneys near you so that you will have someone to guide you in these scenarios.