This paper discusses the topic of workplace harassment and its different aspects. In particular, the definition of harassment as a whole is discussed, pertaining to both employee and non-employee led harassment against individuals. Furthermore, particulars of verbal, physical, and online harassment are discussed. The paper aims at enhancing the awareness of the problem and providing an overview of the issue in its wider scope.
Introduction
Workplace issues can take a variety of forms, depending on the position of an individual and its relationship to others. The internal climate of a company, as well as its management, shapes the way employees interact with one another within the walls of the organization. Improper management practices or poorly thought-out hiring decisions can often lead to tensions in the workplace or other issues. One of the most prolific and difficult to address problems, then, is workplace harassment. Harassment can take many forms, including verbal, physical, and even sexual harassment. It can be perpetrated towards a certain employee or a group, depending on a variety of factors within a workplace. In addition, harassment can also come from an organization’s clients themselves, which presents another avenue for consideration. Retaliation exists as a separate facet of workplace harassment, which is brought up less often.
It is important to understand the issue of harassment and have the ability to resolve it correctly. Workplace harassment has the capacity to affect the attitudes and productivity of employees, affecting both them personally and the organization as a whole. In order to facilitate a safe and welcoming environment inside a company, it is vital to prevent cases of harassment or workplace mistreatment before they arise, or at the very least be able to properly mitigate their effects on the workers. This paper will examine the subject in more detail, including a discussion on the types of harassment and the proper modes of responding to it. Through the work, it will become possible to more thoroughly understand the nuance of the topic and be sufficiently prepared to address it in the future.
What is Harassment?
Harassment, otherwise referred to as bullying, most widely refers to behaviors that belittle or demean others in some way. Examples can include offensive jokes and the use of slurs, name-calling, physical assault and threats of violence, intimidation, among others. Such acts can be performed both intentionally or unintentionally, resulting in the creation of negative interactions between two parties. Harassment can be based on a variety of factors, including race, skin color, individual identity, age, religion, and even disability. While harassment is prevalent in many areas of life, its presence in the workplace is especially harmful and mandated by the law. As discussed by the US Equal Opportunity Commission, workplace harassment is viewed as a criminal when two conditions are met. Namely, when the act of enduring harassment becomes a necessity for continued employment, and the severity of harassment contributes to the creation of a hostile, intimidating, or abusive environment (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Harassment can come from all types of workplace interaction. Offensive jokes are constantly said by a co-worker, unequal treatment by the management, or people in leadership positions belittling their subjects.
Notably, workplace harassment can come from non-employees as well, contributing to the creation of an intimidating or discouraging work environment. In careers tightly connected with customer service or care, workers are on a constant basis of interaction with an organization’s clients, putting them in vulnerable positions for bad treatment. Classifying, preventing, and punishing misconduct committed by clients can be difficult; however, it is still the responsibility of the employer (Alex, 2020). The workplace can be held responsible if it does not take sufficient measures to address or prevent non-employee harassment. To avoid being held accountable, it is vital for organizations to have an active stance against client-initiated harassment cases (Bruce McAfee et al., 1999). Harassment initiated both by one’s co-workers, and clients is a serious issue that must be addressed.
Types of Workplace Harassment
There are a number of different types of workplace harassment, differing by their effect on the individual and mode of influence. While the present paper discusses each of them in detail, their prevalence within the professional sphere varies heavily. Factors such as the line of work, staff diversity, and even the surrounding social culture can determine the exact types of harassment the organization will be susceptible to. It is crucial to understand each of them separately, as the effects their presence entails are different. In addition, the separation of harassment into distinct categories makes it easier to understand for the purposes of education.
Verbal Harassment
Verbal harassment, as the name suggests, pertains to acts of harassment committed in speech. It can be considered the most common type of harassment, found even in work environments that can otherwise be considered well-maintained. The exact definition of verbal abuse differs depending on the culture and context, and even its existence is sometimes debated. However, modern research shows that vocal remarks and conversations undoubtedly have the ability to create negative workplace conditions. Verbal abuse can include offensive jokes, innuendos, name-calling, threats, insults, mockery, or yelling at another individual (What is verbal harassment at work? 2020).
Most often, the perpetrators of verbal abuse are male, while the victims can differ depending on the industry and the specificities of a workplace (Universite de Montreal, 2014). Many studies have considered gender as an important factor for understanding verbal harassment; however, the present research is in its results (Universite de Montreal, 2014). Depending on whether an environment is more male or female-dominated, the attitudes of both perpetrators and victims are likely to change (Universite de Montreal, 2014). This alters the primary dynamics of verbal abuse quite significantly from one case to another.
Its presence in a work environment can lead to various outcomes, the majority of which are detrimental for the organization as a whole and its workers. It can decrease staff morale, affecting their work productivity and ability to complete tasks. Harassment of this kind also leads to communication issues within an organization, as people are less likely to lead productive dialogues with one another and incite positive change. Additionally, the human resource management experiences additional workload connected with mitigating the effects of the problem and sorting out complaints.
Physical and Sexual Harassment
Physical harassment and its forms belong to the category of harassment that is easier to legally regulate and understand compared to verbal harassment. Physical harassment can be both sexual and non-sexual in nature; however, the physicality of the process remains. In cases where abuse is non-sexual, it can include unwanted touching of clothing, hair, or any body parts, as well as acts of violence (Phillips & Associates). While physical violence in the workplace is rarely brought up, such acts as clapping another person or hitting them with objects can become a problem. In addition, physically restricting the space a person occupies can also be considered physical harassment.
The most widespread and understood type of physical harassment, however, is sexual harassment. Experienced disproportionally by women, it can include a wide variety of actions that make victims uncomfortable, embarrassed, or fearful. Social norms prevalent in a particular workspace inform the likelihood of its occupants to commit acts of sexual harassment (Hardies, 2019). In addition, some personality types are seen as more likely to fall victim to sexual harassment or perpetrate it (Hardies, 2019).
Conceptually, it is said that sexual harassment has been understood differently in public discussion. Previously, it was most often seen as a manifestation of unwanted sexual desire, which strung from natural feelings of attraction. However, more recent studies heavily indicate that it is instead a product of gender-based discrimination and harassment, used as a tool not for satisfying a sexual desire but instead as a method of excluding people and pushing them out of professional spaces (Cortina & Areguin, 2021). In either mode of understanding, however, it is obvious that sexual harassment is morally, legally, and professionally reprehensible and has a profound impact on the well-being of employees.
Online Harassment
With the advancement of technology, and the recent rise in online work, online harassment quickly became a new avenue for discussions on inappropriate workplace behaviors. While the lack of direct contact between employees was perceived as a tool of mitigation, harassment unique to the internet became an emerging problem for organizations. In particular, the unregulated nature of online spaces lent itself well to facilitating different types of harassment and preventing other parties from being involved (Fessler, 2021). Channels of communication that are most widely used for remote work are rarely monitored, regulated, or recorded in a comprehensive manner, leading to lesser accountability for unacceptable behaviors (Fessler, 2021). In addition, the shift towards online work environments transformed the attitudes towards work itself, making it less professional and muddling the boundaries between the private and public lives of individuals. However, the opposite trend should also be noted. Technology, while giving perpetrators a platform to harass others without accountability, can also be used against them in order to document and mitigate their actions (Tenório & Bjørn, 2019).
Recording software, online chat logs, and other forms of data storage have the capacity to provide reliable evidence of harassment (Tenório & Bjørn, 2019). Data storing functions of modern online spaces have been successfully used as a tool to fight against harassment. However, the precise guidelines of remote work and precautions against online harassment have yet to be outlined in a universal manner. Much work remains to be done in order to create internet-based work environments that will be safer than in-person interaction.
Retaliation Harassment
Retaliation harassment occurs as a method of responding to the actions of an employee. It is a special type of harassment that often remains unmentioned in discussions of the topic. When a person elects to report cases of harassment or inappropriate behavior from their colleagues or speak up about their experiences, it is likely that the perpetrator of harassment will attempt to inflict further harm upon the victim as an act of retaliation (Binder et al., 2018). This can manifest in the form of threats, silencing, further harassment, gaslighting, or actions that lead to another person being fired. Many reports consider acts of sexual harassment as being especially underreported, which is associated with both fear of being further harassed and the inherent embarrassment of sexual abuse (Dahl & Knepper, 2021). Fear of retaliation is the biggest obstacle towards combatting workplace harassment and the most vital problem to address for organizations.
Responding to Harassment: Supporting Victims
In order to counteract the spread of workplace harassment, it is necessary for organizations to be able to respond to it on a company-wide levels. Adequate systems of management, support, and punishment need to be established in order to ensure that the workplace climate remains healthy. The cultivation of the correct work environment includes amplifying the voices of victims and giving people the ability to speak up about their experiences. Most cases of harassment go unmentioned in the fear of retaliation of unemployment, leading to many people being scared of reporting abuse. Therefore, it is necessary for organization management to create a centralized system that makes reporting easier, while also encouraging people to be honest about their work experiences. Part of employee briefings and training should include discussions of appropriate channels for reporting abuse, which works as both an informative practice and a tool for empowerment.
In the case of victims that have already experienced abuse, organizations must take appropriate measures in order to assist their recovery. Therapist counselling, company-paid medical expenses, or paid leave could be potential methods of helping people recover from abuse and feel valued. Such an approach focuses on maintaining the physical and mental wellness of employees, while also demonstrating the conviction of a workplace towards combatting abuse. Other, milder options can also be considered, such as staff transfers or approved non-paid leave periods for staff.
Promoting Accountability
In conjunction with helping harassment victims, it is also necessary to ensure accountability for perpetrators. Any claim of abuse should be thoroughly investigated, with the potentially guilty person being isolated from their assumed victims in order to minimize chances of retaliation or intimidation. Furthermore, if a case of harassment is confirmed, the culprit should face consequences of their actions, ranging from pay cuts and demotions to being fired. Police investigations and criminal charges should also be pressed in accordance with the legislation of the state. Depending on the type of harassment, its scope, length and severity, it will be possible to determine the required approach. Additionally, the culture of promoting accountability must exist in the company. Every employee must be made aware of repercussions against abuse, as well as the expected modes of conduct within the organization. Managers within the organization should also work on recognizing signs of potential workplace harassment and reporting it to the authorities in place.
Preventing Harassment
While it is undoubtedly necessary to respond to cases of harassment, it is vital that most cases of workplace harassment are prevented before they can occur. This can be done through a variety of methods, including cultivation of the correct workplace culture, displays of care, compassion and understanding for employees and well-controlled organizational management. First, particular expectations concerning workplace conduct must be set, pertaining to how each member of the team must act, the kinds of language, expression and tone should be accepted as normal. The creation of universal norms sets the groundwork for equal accountability and equity. It is vital that each part of the company follows established rules, regardless of their position or influence upon others. Without such a consideration, it becomes easier for powerful individuals to abuse their standing in order to harass others.
The lasting attitudes of the organization must reflect an employee-centered culture and a consideration for the wellbeing of the company as a collective. This involves workplace inclusivity, mutual respect and a constant push towards improvement. A diverse workplace emboldens marginalized voices, giving employees a sense of togetherness and cohesion. In addition, regulatory structures of the company must be kept up to date for any developments inside the office, understanding the relationships between workers and their internal attitudes. In addition, mangers, or other work relations-oriented specialists can incentivize particular types of behaviors. Through financial and emotional encouragement, it is possible to promote positive modes of communication in the workplace. Conflicts, as the primary instigator for many types of abuse, need to be kept in check and mandated in a non-aggressive, open, and inclusive manner. Through the cultivation of correct managerial and organizational practices, it will be possible to prevent abuse.
Another important facet of preventing harassment is employee training. While it is generally expected that most people understand that they should not harass or inappropriately touch others, the specific guidelines towards creating a safe and healthy workplace are difficult to understand without additional learning. Therefore, staff training of harassment, sexual abuse and other types of unwanted behaviors is a necessity. Organizations should encourage constant learning from their subjects, through making educational resources and consultation available at any time, and making teaching programs an opportunity for introspection, change and conversation. By combining practices of workplace organization, management, training and other principles in a single organization, it becomes possible to minimize cases of harassment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that workplace harassment is a complex and important consideration for every organization. Verbal harassment exists as the most prevalent type of abuse and can often be found in a variety of workplaces. Instances of sexual or physical harassment are less frequent; however, their effects are significantly more severe. Reporting of physical violence remains a problem in the professional sphere and must be mitigated with company-wide policy solutions and better hiring decisions. In addition, the increased use of online spaces lent itself to the rise of online harassment, which needs its own set of countermeasures to prevent. It is especially important for modern companies to recognize the severity of workplace harassment and its effect on the professional sphere as a whole.
As a multi-layered and multi-faceted problem, it must be understood in its entirety in order for any significant change to be implemented. The wellbeing, happiness, and satisfaction of employees is the most vital component of a productive workplace, meaning that reducing instances of verbal, physical, or sexual harassment is a necessity. By creating a welcoming space for every individual, it is possible to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
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