Introduction
Despite the maximization of people’s cultural development and increased opportunities to work remotely, there are still cases of sexual harassment in companies. Unfortunately, in direct interactions with coworkers, not all employees exhibit appropriate behavior or misinterpret the actions and reactions of their coworkers. In any case, when a sexual harassment complaint arises, action must be taken in any organization. In addition to investigating the situation and addressing it, preventive and supervisory actions should be taken to prevent such a situation from occurring again in the future.
Potential Action Plan
Harassment is a severe breach of discipline and an indication of an unhealthy team process. In addition to the global prevention standards, a more detailed understanding of the case is needed to critically evaluate the cause-and-effect relationship. Its categorization will help clarify the types and directions of measures to be taken against the company’s employees to prevent similar situations from occurring (McCann et al., 2018). Subsequently, it is necessary to draw the attention of the persons responsible for the organization to the implementation of new norms or rules adopted by the management personnel.
Regardless of the specific reasons for what happened, such an incident cannot be justified and should have no place in an adequate society. Accordingly, the first measure to be taken should be a staff meeting whenever possible to discuss the facts of what happened and the penalties incurred by the perpetrator. Naturally, it is more than welcome to maintain a sufficient level of anonymity to avoid violating human rights and employee confidentiality (Dalton, 2021). Nevertheless, at least a brief remark from the most senior manager is desirable to emphasize the company’s negative attitude toward the topic of the issue.
After the general meeting, the head of the human resources department should organize additional training for all employees in a manner that minimally interferes with the work process. In addition to relevant questions, employees can be asked to refresh their knowledge of the work process’s relevance. Combining a difficult moment with a regular assessment will help save time for the managing staff. The primary objective will be to emphasize the importance of equality and respect within the team to the company.
Following the conferences and training, it is recommended that a brief survey be conducted in the form of an electronic test. This approach to gathering information will organize employees’ knowledge and focus their attention on specific issues, provided the test is written correctly. In addition, the test can include an anonymous survey about the existing problem of sexual harassment in the team or encourage colleagues not to hide such information (Dalton, 2021). Anonymity increases the likelihood that data on misconduct will be obtained. However, one must be mindful of the potential bias and subjectivity of the individual and ensure that every complaint is thoroughly investigated.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the validity of the thesis mentioned is emphasized. In other words, the need to take preventive measures to prevent the recurrence of such negative situations is underlined. The diligent work of appropriate personnel, including human resources professionals, psychologists, and department managers, will improve the team’s atmosphere. With a correct and prompt reaction, there is a full opportunity to avoid a recurrence of sexual harassment or to prevent it and eliminate it at the root.
References
Dalton, E. (2021). Institutional responses to sexual harassment. In Palgrave Macmillan Studies on Human Rights (pp. 125–160). Springer Singapore. Web.
McCann, C., Tomaskovic-Devey, D., & Lee Badgett, M. V. (2018). Employers’ responses to sexual harassment. SSRN Electronic Journal. Web.