Introduction
Race, ethnicity, religion, age, or disability are examples of factors leading to harassment. Employers are obligated to ensure that their workplaces are free of harassment. Every employee who undergoes workplace harassment has the right to open legal proceedings so as to ensure accountability. Employees’ performance is negatively impacted when they are subjected to workplace harassment, and employers have a responsibility to prevent it. Additionally, the paper provides an overview of how this issue affects today’s workers, their employers, and society.
Workplace Harassment
Unwelcome behavior that makes an employee feel uncomfortable is known as workplace harassment. The behaviors of a manager, customer, or coworker might all be to the detriment of an employee. An employee’s productivity may suffer from workplace harassment, which makes them feel uneasy at work. Harassment in the workplace may take many forms, the most serious of which include bullying, physical assault, threats, and intimidation (Garner, 2017). Creating a positive working environment is the obligation of the employer or management to guarantee that people are happy at their jobs and that productivity rises.
Discrimination is defined as a pattern of conduct that creates a work environment where a reasonable person or employee would feel intimidated, abused, or hostile. Those who fear being harassed at work have the right to raise their concerns with their employers (Thorpe, 2018). A workplace harassment claim may be made if an employee is degraded because of their looks, weight, accent, appearance, habits, or views. Workplace harassment and its effects on workers, as well as its legal ramifications, are the subject of this paper’s focus.
Description of major issues
An employer must set clear and workable workplace regulations addressing workplace harassment. In any scenario, an employer’s conduct must fulfill a specific legal standard. Putting an anti-workplace harassment policy is inadequate to indicate that an organization treats workplace harassment seriously (Garner, 2017). Employers have a legal obligation to establish policies that define harassment as any act, statement, or behavior that is illegal, unethical, or threatening. Creating a work atmosphere that promotes mutual respect is the duty of the employer.
Ensure that staff is trained and informed about workplace harassment and that the policy is implemented (Becton et al., 2017). Harassment policies that are clearly stated encourage workers to take the appropriate action when confronted with harassment. It is possible that an employee is being harassed and does not even recognize it since they don’t have enough information. Since harassment may occur in every job, an employer must guarantee that their employees are educated on the many forms of workplace harassment and how to report harassment when necessary.
To reassure employees that their employer is doing everything it can to combat workplace harassment, companies should prove that a sufficient investigation has taken place. In the event of an allegation of harassment, investigations should be carried out, and those found guilty are penalized accordingly (Garner, 2017). American Civil Rights Act prohibits harassment in the workplace in the United States.
When a supervisor or management harasses an employee, the employer is automatically responsible for any adverse consequences, such as losing wages. The workplace may become hostile if a supervisor engages in harassment. Consequently, an employee must be informed of their rights and various types of workplace harassment and when their superiors or even other workers are harassing them. Bullying in the workplace was reported by 37 percent of workers in a Zogby worldwide study in 2007 (Garner, 2017). Harassment in the workplace has a cascading effect on productivity because of the hostile work environment it creates. Employees’ mental well-being is negatively impacted by workplace harassment. Post-traumatic stress disorder-like symptoms may result from workplace harassment, including despair, anxiety, and terror.
As a result, employees are more likely to take time off from work, which might severely influence their mental health. A company’s success may be significantly impacted by the psychological and emotional effects of workplace harassment. It has been established that sexual harassment and workplace harassment raise the risk of physical and mental health issues such as assault and injury. Legal action is widespread based on workplace harassment in today’s litigious environment (Heathfield, 2019). In addition to the initial harassment, this kind of lawsuit has several detrimental impacts on the workplace. Many businesses have systems to deal with customer concerns internally rather than external dispute resolution methods like the court system. Workers must be aware of and report any harassment that takes place in the workplace.
Legally, retaliation against employees who report harassment is prohibited. There is a danger that employee insolence might disrupt office motivation and create a tense and unpleasant workplace. Even though it is more often aimed toward superiors than coworkers, insubordination and disrespect have widespread consequences. For the sake of a vibrant workplace, swift action is needed to eliminate insolence and heal the harm it has done (Thorpe, 2018). Harassment of any kind in the workplace, including sexual harassment, is deemed harmful from a biblical viewpoint. Having a sexual relationship with someone, not your spouse, is forbidden to those who want to respect God.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is more about power than it is about sexuality, according to research. Managers are more inclined to harass their subordinates due to their position, contrary to Jesus’ message. In Matthew 20, Jesus’ followers discuss their place in God’s coming kingdom. Jesus, on the other hand, aimed to reverse the power dynamic that the disciples were familiar with. One can see how foreigners rule them and how their senior officials control them; Jesus added, “you are not like that” (Becton et al., 2017). As a result, everyone who aspires to be a leader in your ranks must first serve you. There is a lesson here for bosses who use their authority to torment their subordinates:
Effects of workplace harassment on employees, employers, and society
A victim’s psychological well-being is the first thing to be considered when examining the effects of workplace bullying. Many aspects of a victim’s well-being, self-esteem, and identity are likely impacted by incivility and inadequate treatment. Lack of respect at work and physical injury from coworkers may all lead to an unhealthy mental state of mind. As a result of bullying, victims often report increased mental health issues such as sadness and anxiety. There are wide varieties of bullying in the workplace, but the ones most closely linked to psychological harm are those that invade a person’s privacy or denigrate them publicly (Becton et al., 2017).
An explanation for this assault on privacy was omitted, although it may be linked to a more significant loss of personal safety and professional identity. Name-calling, insults, and other forms of verbal abuse that degrade a person’s self-esteem are all examples of personal denigration.
Victims, the company, and the economy all suffer when employees are subjected to bullying and harassment at work. Organizational development and profitability may be negatively affected by bullying and harassment in the workplace. Similarly, the organization’s corporate image can be negatively impacted (Heathfield, 2019). Because of the costs associated with litigation, employee turnover, morale loss, absenteeism, and potential workers’ compensation claims, the employer organization must bear the brunt. In addition, workplace harassment results in a decrease in productivity, employee skill and experience, and a decrease in the company’s market value.
Workplace bullying is exacerbated by employees’ lack of awareness and supervisors’ apathy. Depending on the type of workplace bullying, employees’ reactions can be quite different from one another. Bullying in the workplace can lead to a host of negative consequences, including impaired decision-making, low self-esteem, depression, stress, and low productivity (Heathfield, 2019). When victims of bullying succumb to the pressure and quit their jobs, they experience a lower quality of life.
Bullying in the workplace has a significant impact on an organization. Employers who fail to provide a safe workplace face a variety of issues, including bullying in their workforce, as a result of unethical practices (Becton et al., 2017). Injuries, excessive absenteeism, poor morale, and bad publicity are a few of the negative effects of workplace harassment that firms experience. Others include a decrease in service delivery efficiency and an increase in recruitment and selection expenses in the workforce.
Bullying in the workplace is one of the obstacles that prevent both individual and organizational success. Victims and employers alike are harmed by the vice. Every employer must provide a work environment free of harassment and discrimination and encourage their employees to put in their best effort. It is the responsibility of organizational leaders to ensure that workplace bullies are not protected, regardless of their position in the company (Garner, 2017). Employee absenteeism, lower productivity, and higher costs can all be a result of workplace harassment. This is in addition to the adverse effects on the victims and those who witness the harassment.
Conclusion and recommendation
Even a single lawsuit can make a huge difference in a company’s success if eliminated through a workplace harassment training policy. To prevent harassment from developing in the workplace, practical complaint seminars have been recommended. If policies and procedures are correctly established, the costs of harassment lawsuits can be significantly reduced and avoided. Employers must create policies to keep the workplace free of harassment.
To this end, they must also provide training and information to their employees on reporting harassment in the workplace, including filing a formal harassment complaint. There are legal ramifications to workplace harassment, and the perpetrators can face legal action. In turn, this has resulted in a decrease in employee morale and productivity. Sexual harassment at work is a touchy subject. When sexual harassment is suspected, it is not enough to inform staff members of its policy on the subject or take disciplinary action.
An organization needs to take a proactive role, provide behavioral support, and discuss this issue as part of the daily routine. Creating an inclusive, supportive, and respectful work environment is essential to fostering a positive work environment. Also crucial is that the organization aid the harassed individual in overcoming the effects of their ordeal. When it comes to injustices like this, every working woman must know that it is time to stand up and fight. After that, sexual harassment in the workplace can be regulated.
References
Becton, J. B., Gilstrap, J. B., & Forsyth, M. (2017). Preventing and correcting workplace harassment: Guidelines for employers. Business Horizons, 60(1), 101-111.
Garner, J. (2018). 4 ways Christians can fight harassment in the workplace. Web.
Heathfield, S., M. (2019). What is harassment? Understanding and addressing harassment in the workplace. Web.
Thorpe, N. (2018). The effects of harassment in the workplace. Web.