The business’s success is defined by a combination of many factors, one of which is comfortable working conditions for employees. The topic of workplace harassment and its discriminative nature received wide publicity in the middle of the 20th century, but legislation protecting workers from discrimination continues to evolve. Exploring different aspects in the topic of workplace harassment is essential for modern businesses because they significantly influence the effectiveness and productivity in business.
Firstly, exploring the topic requires dispelling the popular misconception that workplace harassment equals sexual harassment. The specialists define two types of workplace harassment that discriminate against the worker in different ways. Firstly, sexual workplace harassment refers to discrimination where an employee is pressured to engage in sexual relations with colleagues or superior staff or faces unwanted advances from coworkers. On the other hand, mistreatment and discrimination of employees’ gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation can also be perceived as workplace harassment, which creates a hostile working environment (Robotham & Cortina, 2019). Bible encourages people to choose thanksgiving above “obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place” (New International Version Bible, 2011, Ephesians 5:4). Therefore, businesses should be aware of their mission to create a comfortable working environment where employees respect each other and avoid showing unwanted attention or ambiguous signals to colleagues.
Furthermore, a popular misconception is that harassment must take a physical form to be considered a serious threat to the workforce and business productivity. However, specialists define several types of workplace harassment, including physical, verbal, psychological, and even digital forms. Thus, businesses should consider all possible methods of preventing harassment to ensure employees’ safety. Bible supports cultural diversity in the workplace by suggesting that “there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (New International Version Bible, 2011, Galatians 3:28). One of the possible options to prevent workplace harassment is helping create a positive work environment in the team and instilling a culture of mutual respect between colleagues in all employees (Robotham & Cortina, 2019). However, the promotion of a positive working climate requires careful execution because it can mistakenly encourage colorblind philosophy instead of instilling respect for diversity in employees. Therefore, businesses must carefully approach the issue of workplace harassment prevention and choose decisions that are most appropriate for the existing team.
Next, it is important for businesses to acknowledge the legal foundation of the problem and consider possible pitfalls. Thus, workplace harassment is illegal in the United States because it discriminates against workers’ rights for equal employment opportunities. However, many victims experience difficulties with harassment at work because they do not know about possible actions in such cases. Facilitating the process of reporting sexual harassment and providing victims with privacy and support present one of the main goals in the elimination of harassment in the workplace. Furthermore, according to Griffith & Medeiros (2020), a significant portion of workplace harassment goes unreported because of victims’ fear of retaliation. In cases where workplace harassments imply power pressure, businesses are required to make a fair decision and hold the perpetrator accountable for their actions. The scripture strongly encourages advocacy and suggests that “blessed are those who have regard for the weak” (New International Version Bible, 2011, Psalm 41:1). Thus, it is important for businesses to equally evaluate the interests of all employees and provide security to victims of workplace harassment to reduce the number of unreported cases.
In conclusion, this essay explored the important elements of the topic of workplace harassment that businesses should consider to ensure their efficiency and productivity. Firstly, the essay explained common misconceptions about different types of workplace harassment. The essay defined that all malicious conducts contributing to a hostile working environment discriminate against workers’ right to equal employment opportunities and, therefore, can be perceived as workplace harassment regardless of their form. Lastly, the essay emphasized the importance of unreported cases and businesses’ role in the protection of victims.
References
Griffith, J. A., & Medeiros, K. E. (2020). Expanding the footprint of sexual harassment prevention training: A power, credit, and leadership perspective. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 13(2), 137-141. Web.
New International Version Bible. (2011). Biblica, Inc.
Robotham, K. & Cortina, L. (2019). Promoting respect as a solution to workplace harassment. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 40(4), 410-429. Web.