In recent years, more attention has been paid by researchers and people from various fields to the problem of harassment. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is common in many areas of human activity. It can occur at work, in educational and sports institutions, in shops, and in other places. This issue also attracts social media that inform the broad audience about it. Thus, the value of research on this topic is now high because society is still looking for a solution to this issue. This paper aims to answer questions about the level of harassment in Canadian workplaces, how it manifests itself, and what measures to combat it exist.
It is necessary to determine what level of Canadian workers is somehow subjected to harassment in the workplace. According to Hango and Moyser (2018), “overall, 19% of women and 13% of men reported that they had experienced harassment in their workplace in the past year” (p. 1). This suggests that this problem is acute since the interest to it is high. There is also a possibility that not everyone reports harassment, which only increases the level of this problem’s severity. In addition, it is worth noting that women are often subjected to harassment. Hango and Moyser (2018) claim that “in cases where sexual harassment is included in the overall harassment indicator, the gender gap persists” (p. 4). Therefore, the problem of harassment, in conjunction with the issue of sexism, becomes even more acute.
There are various types of harassment in the workplace that are not always related to gender. These types may depend on social, demographic, economic, and other factors. The sources of harassment may be different: colleagues, managers, or clients. The most common types of harassment are verbal abuses and humiliating behavior, as well as threats and physical abuse. Each of these types can be explained in different ways, and it depends on the gender, age, and status of the abused people. Some of them, for example, cannot join a new team, while others fell under the influence of the tyrannical boss. However, whatever the reasons, harassment in the workplace is unacceptable, and this diversity is depressing.
Fortunately, various harassment avoidance measures can be met in Canadian workplaces. For instance, “workers in health occupations are the most likely to report having been harassed on the job in the past year” (Hango & Moyser, 2018, p. 1). Thus, medical professionals most successfully resist harassment, which is probably affected by their strong characters related to work features. However, people from other professions also reported this problem because they felt oppressed. This indicates people’s attention to the issue of harassment and attempts to eradicate it. They do not agree to stay quiet and want to make their workplaces safe and united.
Thus, it is possible to conclude that harassment is acute and significant in modern Canadian workplaces. People regularly encounter it in various fields of activity. Harassment can take many forms; in particular, sexual harassment aimed at female employees is prevalent. In addition, multiple types of abuse, humiliation, and threats are also widespread. However, many people who are harassed in the workplace try to resist it. This trend is positive, attracts public attention to the problem, and, hopefully, leads to its destruction.
Reference
Hango, D., & Moyser, M. (2018). Harassment in Canadian workplaces. Insights on Canadian Society. Web.