Thread by @enmichael

Welcome to today's session of #HRwithEM, a weekly #TwitterSession #TweetChat to connect, learn and share career development tips, employee experience practices, as well as resolve burning #HR issues and/or questions. #SexualHarassment

Thank you to everyone joining us this evening. Please identify yourself and the location you are joining from, so we can acknowledge you properly. #HRwithEM #SexualHarassment

Feel free to tweet your question(s) at me with the hashtag #HRwithEM as the session is going on, and I would respond to all at the end of the session. #SexualHarassment

Also, don’t forget to RETWEET all tweets for the benefit of your audience in order to extend this #KnowledgeSharingSession. #SexualHarassment #HRwithEM

Today's #TwitterSession would focus on "#SexualHarassment in the Workplace." #HRwithEM

The recent events towards the end of June and early July 2019 where the social media and air waves were filled with accusations and allegations of #SexualHarassment, rape and molestation are a cause for any right thinking organisation and people manager to be alarmed. #HRwithEM

Unfortunately, we currently have situations where people are being harassed, but due to lack of knowledge, they are not even aware that they are being subjected to #SexualHarassment. #HRwithEM

The EEOC has defined #sexualharassment in its guidelines as:

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

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1. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, or

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2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or

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3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

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Unwelcome Behavior is the critical word in this definition.

Unwelcome does not mean "involuntary."

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A victim may consent or agree to certain conduct and actively participate in it even though it is offensive and objectionable. Therefore, sexual conduct is unwelcome whenever the person subjected to it considers it unwelcome.

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Whether the person in fact welcomed a request for a date, sex-oriented comment, or joke depends on all the circumstances.

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#SexualHarassment includes many things, and could be categorized into:

Verbal,
Non-verbal, and
Physical

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Verbal examples of this unwelcome behaviour are:

Referring to an adult as a girl, hunk, doll, babe, or honey.

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2. Whistling at someone, cat calls

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3. Making sexual comments about a person's body.

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4. Making sexual comments or innuendos

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5. Turning work discussions to sexual topics.

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6. Telling sexual jokes or stories.

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7. Asking about sexual fantasies, preferences, or history.

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8. Asking personal questions about social or sexual life.

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9. Making kissing sounds, howling, and smacking lips.

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10. Making sexual comments about a person's clothing, anatomy, or looks.

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11. Repeatedly asking out a person who is not interested.

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12. Telling lies or spreading rumors about a person's personal sex life.

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Non-Verbal examples of this unwelcome behaviour are:

1. Looking a person up and down (Elevator eyes).

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2. Staring at someone.

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3. Blocking a person's path.

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4. Following the person (stalking).

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5. Giving personal gifts.

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6. Displaying sexually suggestive visuals.

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7. Making sexual gestures with hands or through body movements.

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8. Making facial expressions such as winking, throwing kisses, or licking lips.

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Physical examples of this unwelcome behaviour are:

1. Giving a massage around the neck or shoulders.

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2. Touching the person's clothing, hair, or body.

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3. Hugging, kissing, patting, or stroking.

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4. Touching or rubbing oneself sexually around another person.

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5. Standing close or brushing up against another person.

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How does an organisation create a sexual harassment free workplace?

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As employers and people managers, you have a moral and ethical duty to protect your people.

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You have one basic obligation to them –

"to provide a safe working environment free from discrimination and harassment, which means that you should take all reasonable steps to ensure their health, safety and wellbeing."

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4 things are critical when creating a #SexualHarassment free workplace.

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1. A clear and concise policy - Create a comprehensive company policy that details acceptable and unacceptable behavior. 

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By clearly spelling out the rules of personal conduct, it leaves very little confusion for mistaking sexual harassment. Further, it demonstrates that the company takes these topics seriously.

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2. Training - Training courses around sexual harassment are a great addition to a company’s harassment policy guide.

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The reality is that some individuals might not even be aware that their behavior constitutes harassment.

The more educated your employees are on identifying harassment behavior, the less likely they are to display those unwanted behaviors.

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3. Open-door claim policy - While creating policies and conducting training are impactful to the organizations, instances of sexual harassment can still happen. 

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When an employee experiences #sexualharassment, it can be an emotionally trying time.

Ensure that they are able to get in touch with their #HR representative and that the HR team is ready and able to handle the matter as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

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Any complaint should be anonymous, to protect against retaliation from the offender.

In doing so, you are empowering people to speak up while setting the precedent of a harassment-free workplace.

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4. Leadership stance on #SexualHarassment

Drawing a hardline on sexual harassment in the workplace is key for the safety of your people and your business.

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If leaders drop the ball on handling a claim, they could be held responsible, resulting in fines that could be detrimental to the business. 

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More importantly, it means they’re passively accepting unacceptable, harmful behavior.

Taking a proactive opposition to sexual harassment is a key step in creating a safe and inclusive work culture.

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If you believe that you have been subjected to #SexualHarassment, I have 2 (two) key weapons you need to arm yourself with:
1. Be assertive
2. Keep a diary

These would help you substantiate your claim if the harassment continues, and you need to file a complaint.

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We have come to the end of today's #HRwithEM #TwitterSession and I hope that our eyes have been opened to some behaviours that we never considered as #SexualHarassment.

I will be taking your questions now.

I look forward to having you again next week, same day, same time!

Thank you to everyone who contributed in making this #TwitterSession a success.

#SexualHarassment #HRwithEM

Keep sending your burning #HR question(s) to [e-mail], and join me every Saturday at 4pm WAT / UTC+1 to learn how I would handle such a situation.

Have a beautiful weekend!

#SexualHarassment #HRwithEM

For career tips and my thoughts on career development and current people management issues, please check out my latest blogpost on enmichael.ng #EmployeeExperience #TweetChat #SexualHarassment #HRwithEM

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