Conflicts, bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment and aggression in the workplace are all forms of harassment. This unwanted behaviour puts the well-being of workers at risk, including their mental and physical health, the quality of their work output and the performance of the organisation. Preventing and controlling workplace harassment is crucial for the psychosocial well-being and physical integrity of all your employees.
Facts
Employers are legally required to address workplace harassment
All employees have the right to work in an environment that is free from any form of harassment. As an employer, you are legally required to incorporate a number of measures to help prevent workplace harassment within your organisation.
The law defines three different classes of workplace harassment that cover a broad range of behaviours: violence or aggression, bullying, and sexual harassment. Workplace harassment includes both explicit and implicit behaviour.
Confidential advisor: first point of contact
In addition to the role of the internal or external prevention advisor, the confidential advisor can play an important role in the prevention of workplace bullying, sexual harassment, aggressive behaviour or stress. Confidential advisors are often the first point of contact for employees who wish to report problems that may lead to psychosocial risks.
Confidential advisors can help eliminate the underlying causes that may eventually require formal intervention. Although employers are not legally obliged to appoint a confidential advisor, Mensura does recommend doing so because of the threshold-lowering effect.
Mensura will advise you
- Promote greater awareness among managers and supervisors about their role in dealing with workplace violence, bullying and sexual harassment, and motivate them to take action.
- Raise awareness among workers about the implications of workplace harassment.
- Carry out all formal and informal interventions as stipulated by law.
- Develop a prevention policy that clearly defines generally accepted social boundaries for the workplace environment to help prevent future problems. Mensura can assist you with this.
Result
Workplace harassment is one of the most difficult psychosocial problems to combat. Implementing a solid approach will benefit not only your employees but your entire organisation as well.
- A well-thought-out prevention policy
- Workplace harassment becomes a topic that can be openly discussed. Your workers will be encouraged to deal with issues such as workplace violence, bullying and sexual harassment in a constructive manner.
- Requests for psychosocial assistance are handled correctly within the framework of legal requirements, both by the internal confidential advisor and the external prevention advisor.
- Fewer incidences of worker absenteeism caused by violence, bullying and sexual harassment.
- Providing or maintaining a pleasant work environment and increasing job satisfaction among workers.
Mensura will train your employees
Workplace harassment is a sensitive issue. Workers need to be trained in knowing how to adequately respond to situations in which they are a victim or witness of bullying or other unwanted behaviour. Likewise, supervisors and managers need proper training to be able to respond to incidents of workplace harassment.
Training courses on dealing with workplace harassment
Training course: Respect in the workplace (employees and managers)