Protecting Your People: Harassment Prevention Training | Leap Solutions Group, Inc.

Tracy Emmerich | February 19, 2020

From the ongoing #MeToo movement to nightly TV coverage of high-profile courtroom trials to the 2020 Oscar-winning movie Bombshell…there’s no question that sexual harassment is on our collective mind. We’re seeing just how damaging harassment can be to an employee’s long-term emotional, physical and economic wellbeing, and we’re recognizing that harassment can lead to decreased productivity, increased turnover, possible legal costs and potentially irreparable harm to a company’s reputation.

The time is now to protect your employees and your company by actively creating and fostering a harassment-free work environment.

It’s the Law…and It’s an Opportunity

As you know, Senate Bill 778 requires employers with five or more employees to complete sexual harassment prevention training by January 1, 2021. That means you should implement the trainings in 2020 in order to be fully compliant by that date.

But sexual harassment prevention training can be so much more than the fulfillment of a government mandate. Done well, it can be a vital opportunity for employers to instill employee faith in your organization’s ability to competently and professionally handle matters of harassment and to boost employee confidence in your absolute commitment to an inclusive, respectful, safe and responsive workplace.

Educating Employees with Harassment Prevention Training

Harassment training helps ensure that no employee feels unsafe at work. At its core is your anti-harassment policy, which is not only helpful but required for any size organization. The experts at Leap Solutions can help you establish an easy-to-understand, comprehensive written policy that is in full compliance with current federal, state and local requirements.

An effective policy for preventing harassment, discrimination and retaliation will:

List all protected classes and characteristics (including race, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression and transgender status)
Define and provide concrete examples of harassment
State unequivocally that unlawful harassment is prohibited by all supervisors, coworkers and third parties
Outline consequences for violating harassment policy
Explain how employees can complain of harassment or report observed harassment
Allow employees to report harassment to someone other than a direct supervisor
Require supervisors to report all complaints to an appropriate representative
Establish protocols for prompt, thorough, fair and impartial investigations (including careful and objective documentation of witness interviews, factual findings, conclusions and steps taken)
Assure that investigations will be kept as confidential as possible
Confirm that employees will not be retaliated against for complaining or participating in a reporting process or investigation
Include procedures for timely, fair remedial action if misconduct is found (note: the behavior need not rise to the level of a policy or law violation to warrant a remedy, and remedial measures might include counseling, training, a “last chance” agreement, demotion, salary reduction, bonus rescinding or termination)
State that employees who file a complaint will be notified about the status of the complaint, the results of any investigation and actions taken

Quality harassment prevention training clearly and compellingly communicates the details of your policy and informs and educates your employees about the ins and outs of what does (and what does not) constitute harassment. It reinforces the steps to take in the event that harassment occurs, and it confirms that the company can be trusted to respond with diligence and candor. Moreover, training conveys that you genuinely care about your employees—and about doing everything you can to eliminate harassment from the workplace.

Empowering People with Harassment Prevention Training

Even with today’s heightened awareness, all too many harassment victims and bystanders feel conflicted—they may be embarrassed or ashamed, unsure of whether an incident qualifies as harassment, worried they won’t be believed or the company won’t take appropriate action, or afraid of social and/or professional retaliation. Instead of reporting, they might avoid the harasser, deny or downplay the gravity of the situation, or simply try to forget, ignore or endure the offensive behavior.

The best harassment prevention training, however, can make a world of difference by empowering employees at all levels to:

Respectfully speak up, in the moment, when they see or experience something they find offensive
Broaden self-awareness and recognize when and how their own behavior, however well-intended, might be perceived as inappropriate
Readily identify the kinds of language and behaviors that could be considered harassment
Know their rights and confidently report any harassment they encounter
Understand their obligations as bystanders
Safely intervene when they witness harassing behavior
Find practical, smart ways to encourage and support coworker victims
Remain confident that their fellow team members will stand behind them if an incident occurs

Tailored harassment prevention training further empowers managers and supervisors to:

Pay close attention to employees and employee reactions, both spoken and unspoken
Recognize different types of harassment
Address inappropriate behavior calmly and expediently
Understand the responsibilities inherent to positions of influence
Build relationships in which employees feel secure voicing concerns
Refer to a set standard when a harassment complaint is made

Finally, harassment prevention training empowers and equips company leaders with systems, tools and resources to:

Support victims
Protect against false allegations
Avoid legal liability
Handle any and all complaints promptly, confidentially and fairly

At Leap Solutions, we’re as dedicated to protecting your employees and reducing and preventing harassment in the workplace as you are. We can customize trainings to your specific workplace and your unique employees, and you can count on our seasoned facilitators to engage your employees with real-world scenarios, specific and relevant situational examples, and expert answers to all manner of questions.

As you can imagine, the lasting benefits of Leap’s harassment trainings extend well beyond the workplace. After completing the training, individuals experience far greater self-awareness and are better equipped to identify and appropriately respond to harassment anywhere it might take place.

Building Community through Harassment Prevention Training

Best of all, training builds community. When everyone is well informed and on the same page, and employees in all positions are consistently held accountable, every individual plays an essential role in the collective solution to harassment and the creation of safe, considerate happy workplaces.

Call us to learn about custom and/or group harassment prevention training opportunities, or sign up online for one of our pre-scheduled 2020 trainings—we offer morning and afternoon sessions for both supervisory and non-supervisory employees and in both English and Spanish.