Manager’s Harassment Mistakes (2)

Okay, let’s analyze the manager’s responses to the female employee who had been the subject of sexual looks and comments. Check if my analysis is similar to yours:

1. “The leader was aware of this but had taken no action, believing that the woman was capable of defending herself” WRONG!!! It is the leader’s job to take action, regardless of whether or not someone actually makes a complaint.

2. “He told her that she has the right not to be treated this way”  RIGHT. Affirming to the employee that they have the right to be treated with respect is paramount.

3. “He instructed her to speak up directly”  WRONG! You can give the employee the option of dealing with things directly with the harasser, but you should never `instruct’ them to do so. The person’s fear will make this incredibly difficult if not altogether impossible. It is the organization’s responsibility to clear the harassment, not the employee’s.

Having said that, in some cases (this one included), the actions are severe enough that the manager needs to take action even if the employee is willing to address things on their own.

4. “He emphasized that if this did not make a difference, she was to notify him promptly so that he could address things himself”  RIGHT+WRONG. Wrong in that the manager should not have allowed it to happen again. Right in that he made it clear that he and through his actions the organization, was responsible for removing the harassment and creating the conditions for her to be able to perform at her best, within a safe environment.

I hope this was useful!

This entry was posted in Blog, Harassment, Leadership, Respectful Workplace. Bookmark the permalink.

LEARNING Hub

Access free learning tools, articles and other resources for you and your team.

REAL™ Solutions for Abrasive Leaders

Find out how you, as a senior executive or HR leader, can help restore the effectiveness of an abrasive leader.

Training Services

Discover how our training programs will energize and grow your people.

Organizational Solutions

Find out how we can help you with organizational development and initiatives.
Copyright © 2015 Bar-David Consulting. All Rights Reserved. Website by Geist Creative.