One of the central problems of modernity is considered to be related to the sexual harassment faced in the spheres of business and education. It is necessary to stress that sexual harassment is a growing social problem to be suffered by millions of employees and members of institutions; sexual harassment is considered to be a sex discrimination form violating employees’ freedom through unwelcome sexual advances and favors requests. (Sexual Harassment, 2009)
The cases of sexual harassment are usually predetermined by unethical behavior on the part of employers towards their employees. Ethical norms predetermined in business sphere cover various moral sanctions and obligations on the part of top management representatives. According to the ethical norms and standards to be followed at every company, chief representatives are to develop special harassment policies in order to present unethical behavior of employees and hostile working atmosphere. (Bowie, & Beauchamp, 2009) It should be noted that business ethical norms providing moral sanctions raise lead to powerful incentives for employees.
Hostile environment of sexual harassment takes place when sexual conduct leads to the creation of offensive and intimidating environment. It is necessary to stress that sometimes harassment has pervasive and severe manner completely altering the conditions of employment; the analysis of sexual harassment environment is to be based on the examination of basic plaintiffs:
- The person is subject to severe sexual harassment;
- The harassment is characterized as pervasive changing the employment conditions and creating abusive environment;
- Harassment is related to sex;
- Hostile environment is caused by the priority of the employer over employee having oppressing character.
The identification of sexual harassment spreading within the working or education atmosphere can be predetermined by the following causes: physical contact leading to uncomfortable atmosphere; inappropriate language disclosing obscene jokes to co-workers, students, employees; inappropriate characteristics as to sexual behavior or physical characteristics of the person; unwelcome solicitations; the disclosure of various materials of abusive and discriminating character, such as pornography, pictures, etc; the discussion of sexual orientation through jokes and anecdotes; punitive behavior as to the workers considering sexual nature approach unwelcome.
It should be stressed that the promotion of sexual harassment problem within business and education structures is closely connected with insufficient management and policies development; it is the problem of the whole society and regulations introduced within social institutions. One is to underline the idea that sexual harassment problem has been considerable sharpened for the previous several years. It is caused by the ignorance on the part of executives as to introduction of special business policies and ethical norms and standards. (Carroll, and Buchholz, 2003)
The analysis of the principle reasons for the promotion of sexual harassment problem is to be based on modern standards established in the society. For example, dress code within institutions and business organizations is not always strictly observed and followed; as a result, most workers are not concentrated on the working process but on the bright and sexual clothes of co-workers. It is necessary to investigate the actions which can easily result in the hostile environment creation and sexual harassment: racial characteristics discrimination, leering, religious criticizing, the usage of derogatory words and phrases, and so on.
It is difficult to prevent the cases of sexual harassment, and very often they lead to the challenges within the developed discipline; it should be stressed the problem is centralized in business ethics issues to be introduced within any working atmosphere, be it business organizations or higher institutions. There are some basic recommendations and steps to be taken in order to prevent or tackle the problem of sexual harassment:
- Make respond to concerns;
- Try to listen, rather than judge;
- It is necessary to avoid various ‘dangerous words’;
- Compliant follow-up.
In case of violent sexual conduct, it is important to report everything to the police; sometimes the matters connected with rape, sexual battery, or stalking can be ignored by authority figures within the place of work or education, so, it is necessary to make police aware of every detail for the purpose of avoiding the same problem in future. Personal safety of every person depends on his reaction to the situation and attempts to protect himself; it should be stressed that if the offender is the harasser, one should report to higher level. (Weiss, 2003)
The representatives of authority are to remember the importance of ethical norms promotion within the working culture; the problem promotion may become the first step to unproductiveness and ineffective working process; besides, it can bring negative reputation to the accommodation with sexual harassment problem. So, the introduction of special policies, seminars and trainings is to be dedicated to the role of ethics in business and education. Besides, the discipline is considered to be the key element in problem solution; that is why the business runners are to develop strict rules for the working staff, or the students in order to predict unwelcome conversations, discussions, or physical contact within the environment. (Crane, and Matten, 2004)
The problem of harassment can be not only of sexual character; it is related to officials’ harassing actions towards the employees, expressed through undesirable reassignment, firing, compensation decisions, benefits change, or even formal discipline. The analysis of central social problem demonstrates the fact that unwelcome sexual physical or verbal violation in the work place is completely prohibited in accordance with state law. The company is to introduce special harassment policies and conduct training for the staff in order to avoid the problems of interfering with working environment. The problem of sexual harassment is closely connected with the issues of class and gender equality which are to be strictly observed by any business institution. Environmental harassment could be easily turned in any other serious form of the problem causing breakage of company ethical regulations. (Carroll, and Buchholz, 2003)
The paper managed to underline the principle characteristics of sexual harassment promotion in business and education spheres; it was proved that the problem solution is one of the central tasks for leaders and representatives of social organizations for them to tackle racial, sexual and gender discrimination promotion within working environment.
References
Bowie, T. and Beauchamp, T. (2009). Ethical Theory and Business. 8th Edition, Prentice Hall.
Carroll A. B. and Buchholz, A. 2003. Business and Society: Ethics and Stakeholder Management. 5th Edition, Thomson: South-Western.
Crane, A. and Matten, D. 2004. Business Ethics: A European Perspective. Oxford Edition.
Sexual Harassment. (2009). The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Web.
Weiss J. W. 2003. Business Ethics: A Stakeholder and Issues Management Approach. 3d Edition. Thomson: South-Western.