The workplace is where we spend the majority of our time. For the majority of the day and majority of the week, we are in the office plugging away. Our colleagues are the people that we will spend the most time around in our lives. It is important to have a proper working dynamic and positive relationship with those around you. In our modern workforce women have made an enormous impact and now hold top ranking positions in many major companies. There will always be challenges when different types of people are meshed together on a team to get a job done. There can be differences in age, race, religion, and gender. These differences can lead to conflict if a person has poor character and judgment. Men and Women working together can sometimes be a challenge because of ego and pride. We are two different types of human being and do not always think alike. What is important is that personal boundaries are respected, and the work place is left as a sanctuary where we can feel safe from harassment.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is not taken lightly, and when it is brought up will almost always lead to someone being fired. If a person feels uncomfortable, there’s not much that can be done after someone gets out of line. There are several indicators that could be a clue that there is sexual harassment that either has or will take place. Pay attention to these signs to prevent a dangerous situation from getting worse.
Verbal Abuse
One form of sexual harassment is verbal abuse through sexist comments. There are some people that have a grudge against the other sex and their ability to perform at work. Often this will come in the form of a bad joke or rude comment. Some men believe that women cannot do the job as well as a man could for example. If that opinion gets voiced and someone is offended, it is grounds for sexual harassment. It only takes words to make someone uncomfortable. It can happen from a manager to an associate or the other way around. No matter who is doing it, someone should be available for mediating the situation or terminate the at fault employee when necessary. Words can go a long way towards offending someone; verbal abuse is grounds for sexual harassment just as much as any other type.
Threats and Incentives
Sexual harassment can also take place when a person offers an incentive for a sexual favor, or does the opposite and makes a threat. This may occur if your boss were to offer you a raise or a promotion for partaking in a sexual act with them. This type of bribery may happen in a very round about or soft way. They might make light jokes or hint at the subject, but all it takes is for the person to feel offended for it to become an issue. If the reverse happens and a boss threatens your job unless you please them, it can be a much more difficult and stressful situation. If there is no one to protect you from getting fired then you will fear for your job unless you decide to engage in the activity they are asking for. Hopefully, there is a human resources department that you can bring this type of problem to.
Sexual Assault
The most forward and risky type of harassment is when someone is physically engaging you. It may start by hovering around you or slightly brushing up against you. Be aware of a person’s intentions and the message they are trying to send. If they are consistently invading your personal space, you need to protect yourself and say something about it. There are people with hidden issues everywhere in our society. Once you feel like a person is crossing the line, you need to take action to get them out of your working environment.
The writer, Nick Quinlan, is one of many men who is appalled by those who abuse or sexually harass fellow coworkers: afterall, they are there to do a job. When one of his fellow coworkers feels the need to take legal action over the matter, he highly recommends turning to David R. Heil. You can learn more about Nick by visiting Google+.