Harassment training is vital to build a culture of inclusion and diversity at work. The recent spike in harassment cases in the United States at the workplace has spurred calls for increased harassment awareness and implementation by employers across various industries. A comprehensive harassment training library to assist not just existing anti-harassment training programs but other mission- critical compliance initiatives around the company in matters such as anti-trust, cyber-security, privacy, and other relevant topics. This comprehensive training library can also be utilized to train HR professionals on issues specific to their departments including inclusion and diversity.
Some companies that have not yet adopted comprehensive anti-harassment training requirements are placing their employees in an untenable position. Current managers are being forced to deal with a myriad of management issues stemming from sexual harassment complaints filed by current employees. Anti-sexual harassment training should be required for managers, but the current managers are often reluctant to implement these policies.
The reluctance on the part of managers to acknowledge and embrace anti- sexual harassment policies stems in large part from the idea that they are afraid that other managers will take the hardline approach advocated by some in the business world. Some managers mistakenly believe that if they adopt a strict anti-harassment policy it will somehow be a reflection on their overall management abilities. The truth is that a comprehensive harassment policy is far more effective at increasing overall employee performance and job satisfaction than a blanket anti-discrimination policy.
Anti-harassment policies that go beyond simple verbal or non-verbal communication techniques are even more effective. Harassment training courses that incorporate online training can provide managers with the tools necessary to train their employees effectively. The Internet provides a wealth of resources for managers to use in a straightforward manner. These online resources provide basic information about sexual harassment, as well as more detailed information on legal strategies that employers can adopt in order to protect their workers from harassment.
In addition, anti-harassment and anti- discrimination training programs can help managers develop new and more effective ways of communicating with employees. In a healthy work environment, employees should feel free to express their opinions, concerns and creativity. Unfortunately, too often, people who work in the information technology, engineering and networking industries are expected to work in silence because of threats of litigation or other forms of retribution. In an effort to increase employee participation and enhance the work environment, many companies are adding training programs that allow employees to share their thoughts and ideas.
In addition to the legal aspects of addressing harassment issues, it is essential that managers address the psychological problem of employees becoming too concerned about their safety and worth. Studies have shown that employees who feel that they are not valued or who feel that their opinions are not respected are likely to suffer a negative impact on their work performance and productivity. It is important that supervisors take steps to ensure that their employees feel like their work matters. In addition, the addition of training and workshops to the workforce can go a long way toward making sure that all employees feel as though they are valued and cared about.
In terms of finding the appropriate training programs for your company, it is important to evaluate your current training programs. Are there any that are ineffective or obsolete? Are there any that are redundant or no longer needed? Do you need to focus on one type of harassment or do you need to develop multiple programs to address various types of workplace harassment? These are all important questions that must be answered before moving forward with any type of harassment and discrimination training programs.
In order for your company to reap the most benefit from its anti-discrimination and harassment training programs, it is important that they are developed and implemented by trained professionals. No matter how dedicated you are to protecting employees, if you choose training that is insufficient or fails to provide sufficient safeguards, you may be putting yourself at risk of lawsuits against you. When choosing a company to provide your employees with anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training courses, make sure that they offer comprehensive, professional anti- harassment and compliance training.
