Sex Harassment Training For Employees

Sex harassment training for employees and the other office staff educate them about tackling sexual harassment and complying with laws. It is very important to build a safe and positive workplace environment. Many states, including New York and California, have mandated sexual harassment training for businesses.

Why is Sexual Harassment Training Necessary for the Employees?

Sexual harassment in the workplace has always been a serious issue since the old times. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), “sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature”. It is prohibited under the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 1964. Along with this, six states, namely California, Maine, Delaware, Illinois, Connecticut, and New York, have their own state laws specifically for sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment training is one of the most important things an employer can do to prevent sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior in the workplace. The importance of sexual harassment training is explained below:

• Educates the Employees

Most of the employees are unknown about the fact of sexual harassment and what to do if they experience the same. Sexual harassment training educates the employees about the same and the complying laws. It explains to the employees about the whole process from recognizing the sexual harassment to reporting a lawsuit against the assailant.

• Positive and Safe Work Environment

The victims or the witnesses who are subject to sexual harassment can have unpleasant experiences. It may affect their mental as well as physical health. Many victims or witnesses prefer to be absent at work at such times. Hence, it affects the effectiveness of the work and productivity.

When the employees are given sexual harassment training, it makes the workplace safer. It alleviates the fear and discomfort of the employees, making them feel much safer and more comfortable to work effectively.

• Improves the Morale of the Company

Sexual harassment training teaches an employee how to act if they experience such behavior. The victim or the witness feels much more confident to report a lawsuit against such inappropriate behaviors. Hence, it results in increasing the morale of the company.

•  Reduces Legal Liability

Sexual harassment at a workplace, if reported, the government imposes legal and financial liability on the company. When the employees are trained about sexual harassment and the complying consequences, it reduces the chances of sexual harassment at the workplace. Hence, it also reduces the legal as well as the financial liability.

• Increases Productivity

Sexual harassment training creates a positive workplace environment and makes the employees make feel more safe and comfortable. Many employees are unknown about the extended workplace concept (includes transportation). It also educates the employees with the concept of the extended workplace, and hence victims can report against the accused. Hence, the employees feel safe at the workplace as well as the extended workplace. This results in an increase in work productivity and effectiveness.

How Does Sexual Harassment Training Work?

The training is conducted according to the respective state model policy’s minimum standards, and the copies are given to all the employees and the staff members. The training also follows all the state-established minimum standards.

• Sexual harassment training includes different interactive sessions and seminars. Such seminars and sessions are the most effective. These are also sometimes combined with virtual meetings and online training sessions. 

• Many people are unknown about all kinds of sexual harassment. Hence, different types of real-life examples are given in these sessions. Along with this, the employees are also taught about the respective state, federal, and industry-based workplace harassment laws. 

• The employees are educated with their rights and different means that can be used to file lawsuits or complaints. The whole investigation process and the no-retaliation law are explained. 

• Also, some important topics, such as bystander intervention, are acknowledged in the training process. At this point, the employee can identify different types of sexual harassment at the workplace and their remedies.

• Along with this, the company’s anti-harassment policies and work ethics are also reviewed and reinforced in the training program. The companies ensure that sexual harassment training is mandated for all the employees, managers, and even the chief executive officers.

How Does Sexual Harassment Training Benefit Your Business?

Sexual harassment training makes the employees feel comfortable at their workplace. The employees feel that the company truly cares about them. Effective sexual harassment training encourages and promotes teamwork in the organization. 

Hence, all the employees work together as a team with a common goal. It builds organizational confidence, improves relationships among the employees, and ensures increasing organizational productivity in the long run.

Sexual harassment training educates the employees, supervisors, and managers about their duties. When an organization is educated with the sexual harassment laws and policies, it starts investigating the lawsuit. Hence, the organizations can get the waiver of the legal charges or penalty according to the complying federal or state government law. 

Organizations with a low rate of sexual harassment have a lower employee turnover. Along with all these, sexual harassment training also promotes a diverse workforce.

How Can Businesses Make Sexual Harassment Training more Effective?

Recently, new approaches to harassment training have come into existence. These latest approaches have converted the sexual harassment training program into a modern and interactive learning approach. Here, the employees experience a respectful as well as inclusive workplace culture. Organizations must include the following points to make their sexual harassment training program more effective.

• Tailor the Content with Realistic Examples

The sexual harassment training sessions that only cover the theoretical part are outdated. To make the training program more effective, you can include some real examples in the respective content to easily understand everything about the same.

• Teach Tactics

Many victims or witnesses always tend to fear and feel anxious. Hence, do not take any step against the accused party. That is why it is important to include some tactics in the training program to encourage the victim to file a lawsuit against the accused.

• Promote Diversity and Inclusion

Many sexual harassment cases occur because the existing employees do not accept the diverse work culture. Hence, the majority of the workforce assaults the minority or people with diverse backgrounds. That is why promoting diversity and inclusion in the training program may reduce the chances of sexual harassment at the workplace.

Final Thoughts

It’s obvious that sexual harassment training educates employees about the consequences leading to inappropriate behavior in the workplace. It ensures that the employees have gained enough understanding of acceptable and unacceptable workplace behavior. Effective sexual harassment training reduces the chances of sexual harassment in the workplace.