EffortlessHR

Header Right

Contact Us: +1.520.546.3947 or Email
Sign Up Free Log In

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Pricing
  • Customers
  • Try It FREE
  • Partners
  • Solutions
    • White Label HR Software
    • Security Info
    • Employee Handbook Builder
    • Employee Handbook Reviews
    • Templates & Forms
    • Job Descriptions
  • Blog

Easy to use, comprehensive Online HR Software

Try it Free
Employee Handbook Review Service

All-in-one web-based employee management

A complete HR management system in the cloud. Employee portal, PTO, time clock, applicant tracking, benefits, file storage, and more.
Home>Employee Issues>Prevent & Protect: What Does Harassment Look Like in the Workplace?

Prevent & Protect: What Does Harassment Look Like in the Workplace?

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Aaron

According to the United States Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, harassment in the workplace is based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. It must be severe enough that a reasonable person would find it difficult to work in those conditions. You may be wondering what different types of harassment looks like in the workplace. Here are a few thinks that you should be aware of.

Verbal Harassment

Verbal harassment may be the most common type of harassment in the workplace. It can be as simple as asking about someone’s family medical history in a derogatory way. It may also be imitating someone’s speech pattern or accent behind their back.

In some cases, it may also be sexually implicit or inappropriate in other regards, such as repeatedly asking someone on a date who isn’t interested. Many people have had to step down from important positions because of sexual innuendos in the workplace.

Written Harassment

The problem with written harassment in the workplace is often that it begins out innocently. Some worker sees a pornographic picture on the internet. He or she sends it to a coworker. Soon, the whole office has seen the pornographic material whether they want to or not. Other examples, include writing derogatory comments about someone and posting them where others can see. Social media can even be used to create this type of harassment in the workplace. Excessive texting can even be a form of written harassment if that communication is unwanted or if the content is rude or vulgar.

Visual Harassment

Assume for a moment that a worker has a comic—such as one that makes fun of others by criticizing their politics or religious beliefs—posted at their workstation. While most people would find it humorous, there may be those in the office who are offended by its content and complain that they are being harassed.

Others may find that wearing vulgar or sexually explicit clothing causes them to feel harassed. Even showing someone a message on your phone containing content you would not be comfortable with everyone seeing is a form of harassment. Bosses and supervisors should routinely check workspaces for any signs of visual harassment so that everyone can feel comfortable in the workplace.

Physical Harassment

Many employers have problems with physical harassment in their workplace. Physical harassment can be any move that is unwelcomed by another person involved in the incident. For example, one employee may decide to rough house with another employee who is either not expecting it or is unwilling to participate in that type of behavior. The problem for employers is that if anyone becomes injured, then the worker can file workers comp. If a company has a culture where employees tend to get physical with each other, it’s time to put an end to that—for the wellbeing of employees and for the legal protection of the business.

Ending harassment in the workplace is easier said than done. By implementing standards and changing the company culture, though, it is possible.

Related Posts

  • 5 Ways to Prevent Workplace Accidents
  • Understanding Diversity in the Workplace
  • How to Prevent Common Employee Work Injuries
  • The Benefits of an Organized Workplace
  • How to protect yourself from the employee lawsuit

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe

Enjoy our blog? Enter your email address to be the first to receive updates as we post:

Categories

  • Blogging
  • Business Planning
  • Compensation
  • Customer Service
  • Emergency Planning
  • Employee Hiring
  • Employee Issues
  • Employee Policies
  • HR
  • Jobs
  • Labor Laws
  • Lead Articles
  • Legal Issues
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Press
  • Remote working
  • Scheduling
  • Technology
  • Training & Development
  • Uncategorized
  • Webinars

Friends

  • Bompus

Footer

Pages

  • Home
  • Pricing
  • Customers
  • Try It FREE
  • Partners
  • Solutions
    • White Label HR Software
    • Security Info
    • Employee Handbook Builder
    • Employee Handbook Reviews
    • Templates & Forms
    • Job Descriptions
  • Blog

News & Updates

5 Reasons HR is So Important for Business Success

December 19, 2022

How Human Resource Professionals Can Use Technology to Improve Workplace Safety

December 12, 2022

Best Practices To Improve Employee Engagement At the Workplace

December 5, 2022

Contact Us

  • Email: Contact Us
  • Call: +1.520.546.3947

Stay Connected

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

© 2023 EffortlessHR. All Rights Reserved.            Privacy Policy