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3 ways employers can discourage workplace harassment

On Behalf of | Jan 15, 2025 | Employment Law For Employers |

If you asked most employers, they would tell you they do all they can to prevent harassment in their workplace. The truth is that many are not doing all they can. While some are doing quite a bit, many should do more.

Here are three things that all employers can do to prevent workplace harassment:

1. Understand the problem and the laws in place to deal with it

Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to harassment. It has gone on for years in workplaces in part because employers and employees were unclear about what constitutes harassment. Inappropriate comments, for example, are sometimes seen as harmless jokes, just a bit of fun or boys being boys. They continue because no one calls them out for what they are – inappropriate and harassing.

2. Spread the word about the problems and remedies

While employers should have written policies on what constitutes harassment and how they will deal with it they cannot just file them away. They need to make sure that everyone in the company sees and understands them. They should reiterate the message in various ways, from employee handbooks, through notices posted in common rooms to workshops and training.

3. Take action when needed

One reason that so much workplace harassment goes unreported is that people assume nothing will change if they report it. In some cases, it is worse than that and they fear their employer may even punish them for reporting it. Employees need to feel confident their complaints will be taken seriously and perpetrators of harassment need to know they will face consequences.

Legal guidance can often be useful to learn more, whether you are an employer looking to prevent or deal with harassment in your workplace or an employee who has suffered it.