Sexual Harassment Prevention Training: 4 Main Benefits to Know
The Facts
Q&A
Sexual harassment prevention training aids in the recognition and prevention of sexual harassment in an organization or society. Sexual harassment in the workplace is one of the most unwelcome concerns, with serious and dangerous consequences. Any organization must ensure effective proper measures to avoid sexual harassment in the workplace, regardless of whether they are tiny firms or giant multinationals.
The Importance of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
One of the primary concerns of today's business owners is sexual harassment at work. Such concerns affect not just large corporations but also small firms and family-owned businesses. Employee sexual harassment prevention training has become unavoidable. Effective training sessions supplied by experienced HR Training & Consultancy are now critical in business and establish tough regulations.
To combat the increased number of workplace harassment complaints and charges, qualified and experienced HR Services must give effective and ongoing training. This type of training serves several reasons, including educating personnel, reducing the risk of legal liability, and ensuring workplace legal compliance.
The Most Important Factors of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
- Employees are safeguarded: Your staff will feel more empowered and at ease at work if you have a zero-tolerance policy and provide proper training.
- Morale can be improved through training: As taboo as it may appear, sexual harassment must be handled head-on. Employees feel more engaged and secure after receiving sexual harassment prevention training from a strong HR department.
- Decreased Legal Issues: Sexual harassment in the workplace is considerably decreased by giving regular training. Companies are protected from legal liability. As a result, the corporate organization's legal exposure is decreased.
- Rise in Productivity: Employee productivity rises as a result of providing efficient training through professional HR Training & Consultancy. This equates to a more dedicated staff, which ensures maximum output.
- The Desired Outcome is Achieved: Discipline and culture are instilled in trainees through training. HR Compliance will be ensured through standardized training provided by specialist HR Services, defining and establishing acceptable behavior among employees.
Benefits of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Employees can benefit from sexual harassment training in a variety of ways. Here are a few examples:
- Enhances the Culture of Your Organization
Training can support and develop an organization's culture by effectively communicating the organization's values, goals, and rules in unique and meaningful ways that encourage employees to act responsibly while safeguarding the organization's reputation.
- Increases Understanding of What Is and Is Not Appropriate Behavior
Recognizing the various types of misconduct is essential in inspiring employees to respond when they witness or experience it.
- Encourages People for Reporting
Many instances of harassment and discrimination go unreported, leading to a toxic workplace. This can affect morale and productivity, as well as recruiting and retention efforts and relationships with customers, partners, and others. Employees can be educated and encouraged to report incidences or possible problems through training.
It can be one of the most straightforward methods for organizations to explain their official complaint procedure and raise knowledge about their ethical hotline, dedicated email, and other reporting channels.
- Empowers Bystanders
Individuals who participate in bystander intervention training learn how to interrupt or stop harassing behavior while simultaneously supporting a coworker or colleague. Importantly, the bystander role is a constructive one that gives people a different perspective on the repercussions of harassing conduct on others as well as the target.
Why Should you Consider Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for your Company?
- Avoid Litigation
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) caseload increased in the year following the viral eruption of #MeToo. Employer monetary damages climbed from $47.5 million to $70 million in 2018. It's also worth noting that these figures do not include cases initiated by private attorneys. Employees are becoming more aware of their rights and are beginning to hold their employers responsible. Sexual harassment in the workplace, as well as the workplaces that nurture it, is a financial burden.
- Keep Your Employees Healthy and Engaged
Employees who are harassed (or witness harassment) are more likely to suffer from physical and mental health problems. Absenteeism can cause these issues to spread into the workplace. It can also take the form of presenteeism, which occurs when employees arrive at work but are preoccupied.
Whether your employees show up to work or not, productivity suffers in circumstances where harassment is tolerated. Whether through training, keynote presentations, or meaningful interactions with employees, it's critical to think ahead about how you can foster a safe and respectful atmosphere for all.
- Establish Your Team
Employees are concerned that they will not be believed. They don't want to be held responsible for what occurred. Retaliation, both socially and professionally, is also a concern for them. Employees frequently leave the company rather than reporting. Employee turnover can cost companies time, money, and resources due to lengthy hiring and onboarding processes.
The problematic issue for businesses is that when employees quit an unpleasant work environment, word quickly spreads around the workplace. When a big culture shift happens, it might be difficult to acquire valuable personnel. Bringing in sexual harassment prevention training, on the other hand, can help you set clear expectations for all of your staff.
- Build Your Brand
Companies are frequently tempted to devote the smallest amount of time and money to sexual harassment prevention training. While useful, it frequently fails to address the basis of the problem, which is how we perceive and treat one another. Employees want to know that you care about their well-being, whether or not they are suffering harassment.
Videos and online modules are a good start, but open dialogue that leads to a greater respect for and understanding of one another's boundaries is crucial. And the greatest way to create inclusivity and understanding is to have an in-person, interactive sexual harassment prevention workshop.
Sexual harassment training serves a variety of reasons, including education, legal compliance, and risk mitigation.
- Education
Although sexual harassment has a legal definition, a key aspect of sexual harassment training emphasizes your company's commitment to treating employees fairly. Effective training will be interactive and feature examples that are relevant to the audience. Participants in training should learn through scenarios that encompass a variety of scenarios.
- Compliance with Laws
Employers are becoming required to give training in more state and local jurisdictions. Laws fluctuate from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and may differ depending on the industry or the size of the business. There are also disparities in terms of the needed content, format, and frequency of training. In this field, the laws are continually changing. States will continue to consider new or amended rules for sexual harassment training. Always check to see if there are any unique training requirements in the jurisdictions where your staff work.
- Risk Mitigation
Employers who provide needed training face monetary or other penalties under most laws. Effective training reduces the risk of sexual harassment complaints in addition to avoiding training fines. All personnel at all levels of your firm should be compelled to attend training. Your onboarding program for new hires should include sexual harassment training.
Regular and efficient sexual harassment prevention training delivered by qualified HR Services can help employers avoid financial and legal penalties. HR compliance is ensured through training, which also educates and empowers your personnel. Furthermore, you can create a better organizational culture where everyone understands what is expected and what is not.