Sexual harassment in the workplace is not a new phenomenon, but it is fortunately becoming increasingly common. Incidents are not always noticed by supervisors and managers, or are not properly addressed.
A survey by the International Labour Organization (ILO) revealed that around 521% of women have faced some type of harassment at work. Therefore, it is necessary to talk about the issue and know how to combat and prevent it in collaborative spaces. This is because sexual harassment is often silent and victims may feel guilty for suffering the violence.
A company that cares about its employees must know how to implement actions to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. That's why we've brought you 11 tips to combat it in your organization. Check them out and put them into practice as soon as possible.
1) Make an internal diagnosis
If the company does not yet have a consolidated policy on the subject, the first step is to establish the scale of the problem.
To do this, carry out an internal diagnosis in your organization, using questionnaires, surveys or other ways of collecting data. If you believe it is necessary, you can opt to anonymize the data.
Based on the results obtained, it will be possible to outline a more precise strategy of the measures that need to be taken.
2) Create safe spaces
Once you have an internal diagnosis of the company, it is time to take one of the first effective steps to combat any type of harassment: making the victim feel safe to report it.
This means not only having a space capable of receiving reports, such as an internal ombudsman, but also showing that the courage to describe the abuse suffered was worth it.
So, make sure your internal communication channels are working as they should.
3) Talking about harassment is never too much
Although it may seem like a small gesture, giving lectures on the subject is of fundamental importance.
In addition to enabling the identification of attitudes that can often go unnoticed and are not commonly understood as harassment, it can also serve as a pedagogical tool for those who commit this violence.
If you intend to invest in this type of action, remember that it is not enough to just stay in the field of revictimization, that is, it is not enough to deal with the point of view of how the person who suffered can seek help.
The role of managers is also to act to prevent these attitudes from happening. In this sense, a good option is to hold lectures aimed at men, since, in terms of gender, they are the ones who tend to exhibit this type of behavior more.
Sometimes, they may engage in actions that border on sexual harassment or are even classified as such, but they are not even aware of the severity of the situation. Obviously, this is not an excuse to engage in them, but if they know how to identify them before they even express it, they can be more aware of the issue.
4) Encourage other people to take action too
Still on the subject of prevention, companies must make all their employees feel comfortable raising issues involving sexual harassment.
It is common for the victim not to feel comfortable reporting what they suffered, as they are reliving a traumatic event.
Her colleagues, therefore, can do this for her and prevent the violence from continuing to happen.
5) “Jokes” are not “just jokes”
Sexual harassment in the workplace can take many forms. From looks to physical touching, anything can constitute this type of aggression.
According to the Ministry of Labor and Employment, sexual harassment is defined as a type of unwanted approach by another party, having a sexual motivation or an undesirable insistence from someone in a position of power.
It is important to highlight that when the term “position of power” is used, it is much more comprehensive than the mere hierarchy of the organization.
Companies looking to combat harassment need to not only keep this in mind, but make sure their workers do too.
Certain jokes that refer to a person's physical appearance, for example, can easily become sexual harassment. Therefore, avoid making them and if you witness them, call attention to them.
6) Count on CIPA to combat sexual harassment in the workplace
Recently, the well-known Internal Accident Prevention Committee was renamed “Internal Accident and Harassment Prevention Committee”, referring to the most varied types of harassment that can occur in the workplace.
Some managers are still unaware of this, given that it is a very recent change, which took place in September 2022. However, the deadline to comply with the new requirements is March 21, 2023.
This change occurred through the approval of Federal Law No. 14,457/2022, which created the “Emprega + Mulheres” program. The objective of the measure is to promote the insertion and maintenance of women in the workplace, focusing on professional learning and measures to support them in caring for young children.
The Emprega + Mulheres Program can be considered a significant step forward in favor of gender equality and a safer and more integrated work environment.
So the question of sexual harassment in the workplace should be worked on by the CIPA, guiding its actions. It is also possible, but not sufficient, to include the topic in the Work Accident Prevention Week.
7) Invest in training and development
Although this is a valid measure for any and all employees in the organization, it is even more important that those who work in the human resources sector, or who work in internal ombudsman departments, are prepared to forward complaints.
Therefore, be sure to train members of human resources and all those who work in senior positions, as they are usually sought out when there is a more direct relationship.
8) Put the topic in the company rules
Gone are the days when harassment was a taboo subject that could not be brought up in everyday discussions. As we have highlighted, talking about this type of action is also a way to prevent and combat it.
Therefore, it is recommended to include rules of conduct regarding the most varied types of harassment in the company's internal rules.
These rules must cover both the expected behavior of employees towards colleagues and the measures that must be taken in the event of a complaint.
9) Establish periodic assessments
Nowadays, a professional is trained and evaluated based on much more than just their day-to-day performance.
You need to have a set of skills that range from the ability to work as a team to the way you deal with certain situations.
The corporate environment increasingly values differential characteristics and so-called soft skills to separate the good professional from the simply average.
Therefore, one way to fairly evaluate your employees and, at the same time, combat sexual harassment in the workplace is to include questions that relate to these topics in periodic evaluations.
10) Policies must be for everyone
When the time comes to develop and implement a strict policy to combat harassment, it is the employer's role to demonstrate that there is no difference in the way it is handled according to the position of the person being reported.
This responsibility involves demonstrating that, regardless of the position or role within the company, the response will be the same, through appropriate disciplinary measures.
From the moment some people receive different answers than others, it demonstrates a lack of ethics and commitment to a safer and more welcoming work environment.
11) Work with the union of the category
Finally, keep in mind that the union can be an important ally in combating sexual harassment at work.
Joint action between the company and workers' representatives can result in more accurate strategies, drawn up by mutual agreement and which may even be included in collective agreements and other similar documents.
There is also the aspect of trust: some victims may feel more comfortable reporting to the union than directly to the company. Value this relationship to have more efficient results.
Combating sexual harassment in the workplace is urgent
After reading this article, you now have 11 tips to put into practice against sexual harassment in the workplace.
Regardless of the size of your company, investing and working on this topic is essential to ensure good relationships and the well-being of everyone who works in your organization.
It is important to remember that, in addition to any legislation, discussing and improving internal policies to combat sexual harassment is a matter of responsibility and respect among all employees.
Therefore, it is necessary to seek the engagement of all sectors and all employees to deal with this problem. Therefore, opening up space for discussions on the subject, providing training, raising awareness among team members through lectures, having well-established rules of conduct and talking about what all types of abuse mean are important steps to ensure a healthy and safe work environment for everyone.
