Me Too - American Society of Employers - Mary E. Corrado

Me Too

Like most of my female friends and colleagues, I have not been surprised by the overwhelming response to the “Me Too” campaign.  It seems as though it’s more common to be able to say, “Me Too” than to not.  And I’ll admit that I can say “Me Too,” as many of my friends and colleagues have.  How did this problem get so out of hand?

How sad that it is rare to find someone who hasn’t been affected by it.  Why has it taken so long for so many people to speak up?  Is it not wanting to be seen as a victim?  Is it admitting someone exuded power over you…or tried to? Is it fear of retaliation?   For me it has been all of those things.  I was young and new to the working world.  In my early years as a professional, I had multiple instances of sexual harassment.  Most involved a person with power, although not my boss or co-worker, making unwanted sexual advances towards me. 

Sexual harassment needs to come to an end, and those of us in HR roles can at least play a small role in that when it comes to the workplace.  We need to encourage employees to speak up if it is happening to them or if they witness it.  Sexual harassment can start out fairly vague but can escalate to more serious offenses, and while it is often done by a person in power, it isn’t always limited to that.  In addition, it’s important to remember that sexual harassment and sexual assault are two very different things.  There are varying degrees of sexual harassment which can include:

·        Sharing sexually inappropriate images or videos, such as pornography, with co-workers

·        Sending suggestive letters, notes, or e-mails

·        Repeatedly asking someone out for drinks, dinner, etc.

·        Treating the employee poorly when declined

·        Displaying inappropriate sexual images or posters in the workplace

·        Telling lewd jokes, or sharing sexual anecdotes

·        Making inappropriate sexual gestures

·        Staring in a sexually suggestive or offensive manner, or whistling

·        Making sexual comments about appearance, clothing, or body parts

·        Inappropriate touching, including pinching, patting, rubbing, or purposefully brushing up against another person

·        Asking sexual questions, such as questions about someone's sexual history or their sexual orientation

·        Making offensive comments about someone's sexual orientation or gender identity

·        Offering promotion in exchange for sex

By legal definition, workplace sexual harassment is, “unwelcome verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is severe or pervasive and affects working conditions or creates a hostile work environment.”  And the victim is not only classified as the person its being directed to, it also includes anyone negatively affected by the behavior.

The first step is making sure all managers and employees know how to spot and identify sexual harassment.  But then how do we encourage victims to speak up?  According to one survey, only 29% of women who said they’ve experienced workplace sexual harassment reported the issue, while 71% did not.  I found a study done by Harvard that indicated three reasons people do not speak up:

1.      Fear of retaliation.  When sexual harassment is not handled properly by an organization it can result in retaliation or hostility.  Employees report that the fear of losing their job is often what prevents them from speaking up.

2.      The by-stander effect.  The by-stander effect is a psychological term used to describe the fact that people are less likely to report an incident if there are others around who also witnessed it. This occurs for two reasons, 1) Each person assumes the other will report the incident, and 2) Each person assumes that if no one is intervening it must be ok.  

3.      Masculine culture.  A third factor the Harvard research indicates that may reduce the likelihood of reporting sexual harassment is a highly male-dominated organization or a highly masculine culture.  This type of culture can promote “locker room talk.”  When this type of culture exists, women tend to see harassment where men see harmless fun.

I believe it is HR’s job to ensure that employees are protected and feel free to speak up.  In addition to the typical sexual harassment training, provide by-stander training.  Teach employees what to do should they witness harassment. Provide a confidential and easy-to-use reporting system.  And lastly, make it crystal clear that your organization has zero tolerance for sexual harassment.  Employees need to feel safe in order to feel comfortable reporting it.  This requires following through on every report and preventing any type of retaliation.

Please share your thoughts with me.  Have you implemented a successful system?  Email me at [email protected].

ASE Resource for Additional Information

CCH HRAnswerNow – This HR compliance library available to ASE members has a wealth of information related to sexual harassment in the workplace.  ASE members, simply login to the ASE Dashboard and select CCH HRAnswersNow in the gray menu on the left to access the library.

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