PPB February 2018

FIVE MINUTES WITH Claudia St. John SPHR In the wake of sexual harassment allegations and revelations in the worlds of entertainment, tech and government, companies must work harder than ever to ensure employees are provided a safe, professional working environment, whether in the office or on the road. Claudia St. John, SPHR, president of PPAI’s human resources affiliate, Affinity HR Group, spoke with PPB about what companies can do to make sure their employee codes of conduct reflect high standards and expectations. PPB Recent events and stories have brought the issue of workplace harassment and assault to the forefront; from a human resources perspective, how is the conversation about workplace behavior changing; or, how should it be changing to reflect current ideas about what is considered appropriate behavior among professional colleagues? St. John Our office has been inundated with calls about this very topic from employers who are concerned about how to keep their workplaces free from sexual harassment and assault. And their concern is well- placed. Approximately 88 percent of women report encountering some form of sexual harassment or discrimination. Given that, it’s quite likely that harassment is in fact occurring at work at even the smallest of companies. Our advice to them is fourfold: 1 Have a solid anti-harassment and discrimination policy that clearly describes what constitutes sexual harassment. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission uses the following definition: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. 2 Actively communicate the policy to all employees so they know the company takes the issue very seriously. 3 Train employees and supervisors every year or two on what constitutes sexual harassment, how to avoid it and how to handle allegations of harassment at work. 4 Monitor your workplace. Don’t just assume it’s not happening because chances are, at some point, it is happening. And don’t assume it only relates to women—the law is gender neutral and almost 17 percent of claims filed in 2016 were by men. PPB What strategies or tools can employers use to ensure their staff members don’t engage in unacceptable behavior when working and networking with others in a work setting that is outside the office, such as a conference or trade show? St. John Business owners need to know that they can be held liable for supervisors’ action or inaction when handling a claim of sexual harassment, even if the event was offsite, such as at a trade show, and even if the one doing the harassing was a client, vendor or other third party. Employers need to know that it is their responsibility to keep all employees safe no matter where they are. This is why having a solid policy and training/communicating that policy is so important—it sets the expectation that sexually inappropriate behavior is prohibited, no matter where it occurs or who does it, and it will be handled according to company policy. PPB How can employers make reporting harassment and assault easier for employees, and how can employers help ensure all involved parties in a reported incident are given the opportunity to respond to a complaint? St. John Employers, owners and leaders need to be committed to ensuring a safe workplace and need to demonstrate and articulate that commitment. Most sexual harassment is not reported because of the victim’s fear of retribution. Having a clear and well-communicated process for reporting a complaint is essential. It’s also a good idea to have a couple of reporting options in case the one established by the company is perceived as unsafe or unfair. (For example, requiring that the victim report the incident to his or her supervisor when the supervisor is the one engaged in the inappropriate behavior is a recipe for disaster.) It’s also important to note that claims of sexual harassment do not need to come from the victim. Anyone affected by the offensive conduct has the right to report an incident. This, too, should be in your policy and communicated to all employees. #MeToo: Protect Your Employees And Your Business | FEBRUARY 2018 | 55 THINK