Online Sexual Harassment Training
Getting the right training is the best way to educate yourself and your staff, and to prevent sexual harassment before it can occur. Making sure that everyone in your team is aware of the correct workplace conduct will not only greatly reduce risk factors, but it will also make your workplace culture much safer and more welcoming.
As one of the most common forms of harassment in the workplace, sexual harassment is an issue many people face regardless of their age, gender, or role. For this reason, ensuring that both you and your employees have completed training courses on sexual harassment is vital. It also forms an important part of your continuing professional development and will help everyone to become a better member of the broader team.
If you’re considering online sexual harassment training for your employees, this little guide will explain what the training entails, and take you through all the reasons why harassment training courses are crucial to improving your work environment. If you’d like any further information, scroll to the bottom for the answers to some key questions and some important definitions.
What is Online Sexual Harassment Training?
Without the correct training, dealing with inappropriate behavior in the workplace can be challenging. For this reason, sexual harassment training aims to give employers and their employees the knowledge they need to make an impact on workplace harassment.
The exact content of each training course will vary, but the best programs will give you in-depth information on how to reduce instances of sexual harassment, and how to rectify harassment complaints if they do occur.
Your chosen training course should help all employees to identify the different types of sexual harassment, and understand the difference between acceptable and unacceptable workplace conduct. It should also offer actionable ways to protect yourself and others from harassment at work, and demonstrate key factors that should be included in your sexual harassment policies.
The course should also explain the entire complaints process so that employees will understand what to do if they feel harassed, or if they are accused of harassing a colleague. The training should also cover issues such as mediation, employer responsibilities, and how to approach an appropriate resolution.
The entire duration of a sexual harassment training course should be a positive learning experience for all employees and should help to improve team relations, as well as educate everyone on their responsibilities at work. On the completion of a course, many providers offer a certificate or other forms of certification to verify that everyone has completed the training to a satisfactory level.
Why is training important?
Aside from reducing sexual harassment incidents, training is a vital way to meet the state requirements for employers and to improve the likelihood that all sexual harassment is correctly dealt with. It’s also an important way to make the workplace a better space for all members of your team, and can even help boost productivity and job satisfaction, too.
Going through sexual harassment can feel like a lonely experience, and so the right online harassment training can make sure all employees know what to do if they’re a victim of inappropriate behavior. It will ensure everyone understands their responsibility to act appropriately at work and will help employees to recognize the signs of sexual harassment. Making sure that all team members understand the process for resolving sexual harassment instances will ensure they’re equipped to protect both themselves and others.
Sexual harassment training is also a benefit to the business as a whole. Ensuring that managers and supervisors know how to correctly respond to sexual harassment reports, and how to support a victim, will guarantee a much more positive outcome. Managers who can demonstrate appropriate actions and recognize the signs of harassment will be able to lead by example and create a strong foundation for a positive workspace.
Completing a sexual harassment training course can also ensure that your company has the right procedures in place for dealing with inappropriate actions. A course can advise on what should be included in your sexual harassment policy, help you to support your employees, and also offer vital resources for improving your workspace.
Overall, sexual harassment training undeniably benefits both individuals and organizations, and online courses are a great choice for every office.
What types of training are there?
When it comes to online training on preventing sexual harassment, there are several forms available.
The most common courses are aimed at organizations, so that they can ensure their managers and employees are aware of sexual harassment law, their responsibilities, and how to access support. They’re often delivered in a video format and can be easily accessed from any laptop or computer, so everyone is able to receive the right sexual harassment training. You can often choose between group or individual sessions, to ensure everyone is comfortable during the training.
Many providers also offer online courses for private individuals. You may be interested in this option if you have questions about sexual harassment training and your rights, or if you’re required to demonstrate certification to your employer. Because the course is online, it’s really convenient to tailor the sessions to your needs, so that you can easily gain your sexual harassment training certificate.
Some employers may want their managers and supervisors to train to become qualified mediators. This requires slightly more specialized sexual harassment training but will offer more insight into employee support and how to best resolve unwanted events.
FAQs
1. What are the 3 forms of sexual harassment?
Ensuring that you and your employees are able to recognize and define all three categories is a simple but effective way to improve awareness of sexual harassment within your workforce. The 3 forms are:
- Physical Sexual Harassment: This includes inappropriately touching other colleagues, and physically intimidating them or stopping them from working. It might not be as easy to spot as you first think, but educating employees on personal boundaries should help to reduce this form of sexual harassment.
- Visual Sexual Harassment: This includes inappropriate exposure or gestures, and can even extend to offensive sketches or imagery being shown to employees. These acts may not be targeted at any employee in particular, but they are still visual sexual harassment because of the content, context, and unwelcome nature of the incidents.
- Verbal Sexual Harassment: This includes name-calling, comments, or insults. Persistent attempts to instigate a romantic or sexual relationship are also included. No one should feel intimidated or afraid because of unwanted remarks, so it’s important to make sure all employees are aware of what’s appropriate.
2. Can staring be considered sexual harassment?
This can unfortunately be a confusing question, and it will largely depend on the context of the staring.
If the staring is suggestive in nature or is accompanied by inappropriate gestures, then it is definitely harassment. If someone is still staring at you when you have asked them not to, then this is also inappropriate.
If the issue becomes a persistent or intimidating problem, then always consult your company’s Human Resources department for more information and support. No one should be made to feel uncomfortable in the workplace.