Sexual harassment training is an important component of a company’s culture. Sexual harassment has been on the rise for decades and it continues to be a pervasive problem in many workplaces. We want our employees to feel safe, respected, and valued at all times, but this is hard to accomplish when they don’t even know what constitutes sexual harassment or how to report it if they do experience it.
To ensure that employees are properly trained about what types of behavior constitute workplace sexual harassment as well as the procedures for reporting such conduct, organizations need to provide regular updates on these issues through formalized training. This article will explore 6 reasons why you must provide sexual harassment training to your employees.
1. Alleviate Fear of Reprisal
If an employee believes they are being harassed, they may be afraid that by reporting it they will end up facing negative repercussions from the harasser or other co-workers who support them as a friend. In order to alleviate this fear, organizations should emphasize that all forms of sexual harassment are unacceptable and must be reported. If the individual is being harassed by a manager, they should also be assured that it’s not their job to confront their harasser — this is the responsibility of management.
Also focusing on what will happen after reporting helps employees understand that there are measures in place to protect them from any possible reprisals. Highlighting these measures can also help assuage employees’ fears that they won’t be believed or that nothing will happen if they report it.
2. Improve Morale and Increase Productivity
Providing regular training on this topic is beneficial to the morale of your organization’s employees because it demonstrates management’s commitment to creating a respectful workplace. If employees are worried about whether or not their employer cares about this issue, it will affect the workplace environment.
It’s also important to ensure that employees understand what constitutes sexual harassment and how to report it since this will help them feel more comfortable with the issue. Set up EasyLlama, a sexual harassment compliance training for them. The training program is quite flexible so your employees can take them at their convenience.
Employees who are made aware of these issues will be less likely to remain silent if they face unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature at their workplace. This can impact productivity due to increased stress levels for those who endure such behavior. It’s difficult to be productive in an environment where employees are constantly worrying that they’re going to be discriminated against due to their sex or gender.
3. Mitigate Risk of Sexual Harassment Claims
Many employers believe providing training on this topic will actually increase their risk for sexual harassment claims, but there is no evidence to support this belief. In fact, the opposite is true — organizations that have strong policies in place and train their employees on all aspects of the company’s sexual harassment policy are actually less likely to be sued for a hostile work environment. In addition to preventing lawsuits against your organization, regular training can also decrease liability in cases where claims are filed.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, providing this training will help you mitigate risk because it shows you care about preventing these issues from occurring and take steps to address them when they do arise. By educating your employees on what constitutes sexual harassment and how they should handle such behavior if they face it at work, you’re demonstrating that they won’t be penalized for coming forward with their concerns. Employees who take time to learn about what constitutes workplace sexual harassment as well as how they’re expected to behave in accordance with these standards are significantly less likely to engage in harassing behavior themselves or allow it from others.
4. Retaining Diverse Workforce
One of the most important aspects of providing sexual harassment training to your employees is that it helps maintain a diverse workforce. This is beneficial for employers because different perspectives in the workplace lead to more creativity and innovation, leading to increased productivity in terms of quality and quantity. Organizations with more diverse workforces also tend to be more financially successful in the long term.
Harassment not only leads to turnover among employees who feel unwelcome or uncomfortable, but it can discourage prospective employees from even applying for jobs with an organization where they know these issues are present.
5. Employees Feel Better About Their Workplace
Employees who receive regular training on sexual harassment are more likely to feel that their employer cares about them. A recent study found that employees who received training were more likely to feel respected by their company, which made them happier about the overall culture of the organization. Employees may also feel safer in their jobs and less stressed if they receive regular sexual harassment training.
If an employee is constantly worrying about whether they’re going to be treated with respect at work, it can be difficult for them to focus on anything else. If they know how to report unwelcome behavior as well as what behaviors are considered harassing, they’ll be less likely to worry about facing sexual harassment from others or even experiencing it themselves. This can lead to increased morale, improved productivity, and stronger retention rates for your organization.
6. Balancing Workplace Rights
Companies should make sure they balance the rights of employees with ensuring a respectful workplace environment. Organizations must be willing to protect employees from harassment, but they also have an obligation to provide a place where everyone feels welcome. It’s important for employers to take their obligations seriously and work to create this environment rather than neglecting it or avoiding all sexual-related topics.
A proactive approach is the best way for companies to ensure their workplace culture isn’t discriminatory in nature, which can benefit both company morale as well as the bottom line. Regular training will help your employees understand what is acceptable behavior at work while keeping them informed about how they should proceed if they feel discriminated against or harassed by others on the job. As long as employers don’t attempt to reduce an employee’s job security or encourage them to resign over unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, there is no reason why this type of training should pose any problems at all.
Providing regular training on this topic will help attract prospective employees by showing them that you’re committed to keeping all employees safe during their time at your organization. It also shows them that you care about interpersonal relationships within the workplace and that your organization is willing to take the necessary steps to create a healthy work environment.
