Sexual harassment is a form of intimidation, exploitation or isolation for sexual favors. This form of harassment occurs in a workplace when a colleague or superior intimidates another for sexual favors or isolates the person for unsolicited or unwanted sexual favors.
This is one of the things that make a workplace toxic. Many an organization has been destroyed by this menace while others are not as productive as they should be because of it. One sure way of curbing this menace is by organising sexual harassment training for employees from time to time.
In this article, we will discuss the importance of this training and also the benefits thereof so stay with us.
Importance of Sexual Harassment Training
This training is important in every organization to help employees understand how to behave towards their co-workers whether subordinate or same level. With it, no one will have the excuse of ignorance; everyone will know what acceptable behaviour is and what isn’t. This in turn creates a safe workplace where people can be fully productive.
Additionally, it establishes what is expected of everyone and as such people will recognize when sexual harassment is going on. More so, there are government regulations pertaining to workplace harassment and every reputable organization must abide by them.
Sexual Harassment training is one of the indices for HR compliance in any organization. So without having them periodically, you company cannot be rated as one that enforces best HR practises. So in summary, this training is important for the following reasons:-
- Protection of Employees – Enforcing zero tolerance of this kind of harassment through constant engagement and policy let’s employees know that they are protected. This will also help them feel comfortable in the workplace.
- Improvement of Staff Morale – When the issue of sexual harassment is tackled without mincing words, it boosts the morale of the staff. That is why constant engagement on this subject is important. Check out this site for more tips on how to boost staff morale : https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/
- Enhancement of Staff Productivity – When employers provide professional training for their staff, it makes them feel valued. This will in turn create a highly committed workforce/team that will give their all to the company.
- Protection of Employers – This training will lead to a reduction or even extinction of this bad behaviour in the work place. This in turn protects the company from any legal liabilities that would have arisen from harassment cases.
- Behaviour Modification – Training helps to instil the desired discipline and culture of an organization into its staff. Defined acceptable behaviour is communicated to all and compliance can be enforced.
Benefits of Sexual Harassment Training
As long as engagement on this subject is carried out periodically, the organization will benefit many ways. Below are some of these benefits:-
- Reduction of Compliance Risk – Ignorance they say is no excuse but an untrained workforce can claim ignorance and this will cost the organization a lot. The fall out of non-compliance can lead to legal suits that can ruin a company’s reputation and even cost them a lot financially. But with the right training, this situation is averted.
- A Strong Culture is Established in the Workplace– Constant communication of the organization’s ethos, policies and goals to its workforce strengthens the culture of the organization. This can only be achieved through consistent engagements; both formal and informal.
- Safer Workplace– Sexual harassment is one of the major causes of a toxic work environment. There is an air of oppression, fear and discomfort that stifles productivity which in turn impacts on the bottom line of the company. But training in this regard helps to eliminate all that and create a safer working environment for all concerned.
- People Become Each Other’s Keeper– With effective training, there will be reduced case of sexual harassment and intimidation. And in the event that it happens, even bystanders are empowered to report and put a stop to it. This in turn creates a healthy work environment.
- Exposes Staff To Available Resources – In the process of these trainings, workers are exposed to resources that can help them overcome past traumas and also avoid future intimidations. It will also help them know how they can prevent harassment and also resolve issues before they get out of hand.
- Reduction of Staff Turnover – A toxic organization will always have high staff turnover as people will leave at the slightest opportunity. When you eliminate toxicity in your organization through trainings that modify behaviour, you increase the level of your staff retention. Click here for tips on how to eliminate toxicity from your organization.
Conclusion
Apart from making your organization compliant to HR best practises, sexual harassment training is a tool for success. We have enumerated the importance of this training and the benefit you will get from it. It is therefore your responsibility to research properly and engage qualified professionals to train your workforce on a regular basis.
