Harassment Bullying and Workplace Violence Prevention Managers Session

Harassment, Bullying and Workplace Violence Prevention Managers’ Session 2014

Today’s Objectives: Discuss all facets of harassment/discrimination in the workplace (sexual, bullying, workplace violence) Determine what constitutes these facets of harassment/discrimination (sexual: quid pro quo and hostile environment, cyber-bullying, issues of respect, violence prevention) Establish your role in preventing harassment/discrimination in the workplace Review our policies on sexual harassment and workplace violence.

. LEGISLATION You Need to Know

THE HIGH COST . OF HARASSMENT

Dollars and ‘Sense’ 1991: 6, 883 charges filed with EEOC 2010: 11, 717 charges filed with EEOC = Monetary Benefits of = Monetary $7. 1 Million $48. 4 Million Benefits of Average Verdict: $300, 000 Average sexual harassment defense costs: = $350, 000 2010: plaintiff complaints = 84% Female = 16% Male

What Are The Negative Impacts of Sexual Harassment ? How Much Do You Know?

How Much Do You Know? CLICK ON QUIZ Harassment Quiz Know?

Harassment and Workplace Violence Prevention What is ONE word to describe Sexual Harassment

POWER

Why Victims Don’t Speak Out: Fear of: • Loss of Job Opportunities • The “Rumor Mill” • Not Being Believed • Of Being “Wrong” • Rejection from Co-Workers • Retaliation Being Accused of Not Having a Sense of Humor Being Labeled: • Trouble Maker • Feminist • Overly Sensitive • Mentally Unstable

EEOC Definition: Unwelcome sexual advances. Requests for sexual favors. Sexual Harassment Verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature connected to decisions about employment. An intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

REMEMBER. . . A situation. must be both OFFENSIVE and SEXUAL to be sexual harassment.

Two Kinds of Sexual Harassment: Quid Pro Quo: “This for That” Hostile Work Environment

Definition: Quid Pro Quo Employment decisions or expectations based on an employee’s willingness to grant or deny sexual favors.

Examples of Quid Pro Quo: Demanding sexual favors in exchange for a promotion or a raise. Disciplining or firing a subordinate who ends a romantic relationship. Changing performance expectations after a subordinate refuses repeated requests for a date. Quid Pro Quo: • This for that. • You do this for me and I’ll do that for you.

Definition: Verbal or Non Verbal behaviors that. . . Hostile Work Environment Focus on the sexuality of another person or his/her gender. Are unwanted or unwelcome. Severe or pervasive enough to affect the person’s work performance and/or environment.

Examples of Hostile Work Environment: Offensive Conduct Offensive Behavior Offensive Language Offensive Graphics Dating & Relationships Hostile Work Place: • Hostile • Intimidating • Offensive

Important Facts about Sexual Harassment: Generally occurs when there is a disparity of power – not just when men & women are working together. Men can be sexually harassed. Does not have to be intentional. Harassment does not have to be directed at a particular individual. What is offensive is in the “eye of the beholder. ” Men can harass men; women can harass women. Offenders can be supervisors, co-workers or non-employees (customers, vendors or suppliers).

Who Is Liable for Quid Pro Quo Harassment? Who is Liable For Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment?

Scenarios: What Would You Do? 1. Female student comes to you a female professor about male professor. 2. Female staff member goes to supervisor about male staff member. 3. Male student goes to male prof. about female prof.

Definition: Fraternization Intimate, romantic, or sexual relationships between a member of management and an employee.

Examples of Fraternization: Manager is. . . In direct reporting relationship with employee. In same functional pyramid as employee. So highly placed in the organization that the employee’s direct supervisor could become compromised in managing the employee fairly. In an audit or investigative function where integrity & impartial performance may be compromised as a result of the relationship with the employee.

WORKPLACE BULLYING… . WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? IS IT HARASSMENT ?

Definition: Bullying may be direct, such as severe verbal abuse, or indirect, such as spreading rumors or lies. Cyber bullying is just as serious. Internet or cyber bullying might include sharing inappropriate pictures of someone, posing as someone else to spread rumors or lies, or sending harassing messages and abusive emails (on Facebook, as well)

Some Signs of Bullying: Being left out from workrelated social events Coworkers storming out of the work area when you enter Others regularly arriving late for meetings that you call Being given the “silent treatment” Not being given the praise you thought you deserved Being treated rudely or disrespectfully Others responding slowly to requests that were important to you Being yelled or shouted at Receiving put-downs about your intelligence or competence Your telephone calls, contributions, or other communications are ignored Someone interferes with or sabotages your work Being given little or no feedback about your performance Being a victim of pranks

Examples of Overt/Covert Bullying OVERT Name Calling Bickering Fault finding Criticism Intimidation Gossip Shouting Blaming Put-downs Raised eyebrows COVERT Unfair assignments Refusing to help someone Ignoring Making faces behind someone’s back Refusing to only work with certain people – or not work with others Whining, sabotage, exclusion, fabrication (Bartholomew, 2011).

Impact PHYSICAL EFFECTS Anxiety Exhaustion Sleep Disturbances Increased apathy, decreased moral Burnout/Irritability Affected personal relationships Poor work quality. PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS Fatigue, listlessness Headaches Weight loss/gain Eating disorders Gastrointestinal problems Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Hastile, 2002)

Definition: Workplace Violence Workplace violence is violence or the threat of violence against workers. It can occur at or outside the workplace and can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide, one of the leading causes of jobrelated deaths. However it manifests itself, workplace violence is a growing concern for employers and employees nationwide.

RED FLAGS: Having an obsession with or Displaying unwanted romantic excessively discussing interest in a co-worker; weapons; Exhibiting paranoid behavior; Compulsive reading and Being unaccepting of criticism; collecting of gun magazines; Holding a grudge; Making direct or veiled threats; Having recent family, financial, Intimidating or instilling fear in academic, social, legal, or others; personal problems; Having an obsession with Showing interest in recently one’s job; publicized violent acts; Showing little involvement with Testing the limits of acceptable co-workers; behavior; Return of terminated Making extreme changes in employees who have left behavior or stated beliefs; and because of questionable Retaliation by employees who feel behavior; they have been bullied.