Sexual harassment at workplace has become one of the problems in the organizations. Across the world organizations are facing protests and in some cases legal suits are filed by the victims in terms of millions of dollars for compensation. Organizations have been compelled to look into the issue and are also initiating strategic policies to create a harassment-free environment wherein both men and women can work together for the organizational growth and development. The following paper analyzes the causes and reasons for sexual harassment in the organization and provides an eight-principle framework, which the organizations can implement to avoid sexual harassment in the organization.
Most
workplaces today employ both men and women. Employees in a
shared industry, or who work within a shared profession, may
find that they have a lot in common. It is not uncommon for
people to meet their spouses at work. In fact, another growing
issue for employers is workplace sex. Consequently, companies
have begun including bans on fraternization, such as no-dating
policies, among their restrictions. Such policies, however,
often backfire. Not only do many upper-level managers and
professionals defy bans on dating, some even have sex with
subordinates at the office. Such a sexualized environment
may make it extremely difficult to enforce no-dating policies.
The
stressful work environment prevalent today is offered as another
reason for workplace sex and harassment. When men and women
work longer stress-filled hours, their emotional guards are
lowered. Moreover, "that doesn't leave a lot of time
outside of the workplace to meet one's sexual needs,"
according to William L White, a researcher and author of the
1997 book, The Incestuous Workplace. John Sulmeyer,
a psychologist specializing in sexual harassment and other
workplace issues, has seen similar patterns. He cited an instance
where he was hired to counsel a young lawyer caught having
sex with a paralegal. As the paralegal's supervisor, the potential
for sexual harassment was great. Moreover, the firm had a
no-dating policy for its employees. "The attorney's justification
was, `I work 70 to 80 hours a week. I don't have a chance
to see anyone else.' His remorse was moreover being caught
than doing something wrong," said Sulmeyer. Behavior
specialists say that sexual compulsion, sheer thrill, and
defiance are other reasons for acting out at the office despite
significant risks to one's career or personal relationships.
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