Help! I Think My Employee is Being Harassed

Navigating ConflictsManagement
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As leaders, it’s our job to know when employees are being harassed and it’s also our job to listen to our employees with open ears and no biases. While there are laws that define what harassment is and how you can detect it, as leaders, we must approach every situation with that knowledge and the ability to detach ourselves from our biases. Dealing with workplace harassment isn’t always easy, but the team at ProKnowledge has some tips to help you determine when you are dealing with workplace harassment and what steps you need to take. Keep reading to learn what those tips are. 

3 Actions if One of Your Employees Thinks They’re Being Harassed

Document Everything

As a manager, you want to make sure you document everything that comes across your desk. Whether it was something minor or something major, you want to make sure you document every single situation in case you ever need it for reference.

Stay Neutral

When listening to your employees explain the situation, don’t give any indication of your personal thoughts. There are three sides to every story — two individuals’ and the truth. When you hear an employee discussing a situation, you can’t immediately say things like, “Oh no, I can’t believe they did that.” It is important to learn and digest all sides of the story and make your decisions based on that.

Know the Laws

When dealing with an employee facing harassment, it is critical to know the rules, laws, and protected classes, both federally and in your state of employment. There are so many regulations that are in place to hold those responsible accountable for their actions. Make sure you become familiar with harassment laws, signs of harassment, and the different classes that are protected against harassment. Remember… harassment isn’t always sexual in nature; people can be harassed based on their age, gender, race, religion, national origin, etc. 

 

If you want to learn more about dealing with harassment in the workplace, click listen to our PK Pods episode on the topic. 

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Help! I Think My Employee is Being Harassed
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As leaders, it’s our job to know when employees are being harassed and it’s also our job to listen to our employees with open ears and no biases. While there are laws that define what harassment is and how you can detect it, as leaders, we must approach every situation with that knowledge and the ability to detach ourselves from our biases.

Read More →
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