Why Should my Team Try Sexual Harassment Training?
Sexual harassment in the workplace continues to be an ongoing issue and one which requires every member of a workplace to prevent it. While legislation was passed over 30 years ago, today sexual harassment is still commonplace across much of America.
If you’re a manager looking for information on sexual harassment training for your team, you’re in the right place. Below, we will introduce you to the contents of harassment prevention training courses and take a look at the abundance of benefits that come with equipping your workforce with such knowledge.
While it is every team member’s duty to ensure that all types of harassment in the workplace are non-existent, unfortunately, many people don’t know what signs to look out for. Or, victims are too worried about the repercussions of reporting that they have been harassed in such a manner.
Below, we take a look at the sexual harassment prevention policy and training as well as the different types of training available inclusive of online training.
By law in the New York state, employers are required to provide sexual harassment prevention training to their employees. Make sure that you are abiding by the employment law and protecting your employees with the right training materials.
Why are harassment training courses important?
Sexual harassment training is as crucial today as it was 30 years before the sexual harassment prevention policies were passed. Sadly, many employees are harassed sexually in the workplace with many not even recognizing that their behavior could be deemed this way. Training courses, therefore, demonstrate what harassment of this nature constitutes to prevent it from happening.
Today, employers can be held responsible for any workplace misconduct even if it was another employee who is responsible for the actions. Therefore, it is crucial to take the necessary steps to stop such behavior from taking place, and there is no better way to do this than training.
Many employers fail to recognize that if an employee is being harassed in the workplace they will not perform in their roles as well. This can in turn lead to further issues such as absenteeism and not delivering the work required of them when at work.
By having yourself and employees participate in a sexual harassment prevention training course for sexual related harassment you will create a safer workplace for all.
What do sexual harassment courses cover?
The sexual harassment training deadline passed in the New York state in 2019 and employers must be retrained at least once per year. All employers in the New York state must provide this type of harassment prevention training to all of their employees too. You can expect such courses to cover the following:
- What is this type of harassment - learning what is acceptable behavior and what is not
- What is this type of harassment - learning what is acceptable behavior and what is not
- The impacts of such harassment and discrimination - identifying situations and individual responses
- Outline the benefits of this type of training program - how employers and employees can benefit
- Ways to protect self from harassment - what can be done in such an event?
- The workplace returning to normal after an incident - the steps that can be taken to help everyone feel comfortable again in the workplace and how such incidents can be prevented
The above gives an overview of what to expect from a training course, however, each can vary. Different training slides will provide various content on the topic of sexual-based harassment. If you’re unsure of which type of training to use for your business, you can contact a training agency to discuss the various options. Whether your team works in offices or warehouses, make this type of harassment prevention a training requirement and the entire workforce will benefit undoubtedly.
How will a course benefit my team?
Many invaluable employee benefits come with training your team in the prevention of sexual-based harassment in the workplace. First of all, you will create an awareness surrounding the issue and educate your team on the different types of harassment under this category. Awareness helps to bring about prevention in the long-term as employees will know better how to spot signs of possible harassment and which behaviors are not acceptable.
With a more knowledgeable workforce, you will create an all-around safer work environment for your employees. Each member of your team that undergoes training will be in a more powerful position to tackle the issue should it arise and they will know which steps to take next.
Employers that implement this type of training will benefit too. If your employees are not ignorant in this area this will help to eliminate the chances of any legal, financial, and professional risks against an employer. Many training courses are designed to be highly flexible and can be accessed from just about anywhere. You can also track the progression of your employee’s training to monitor a deadline in place for example.
Who needs to take a course?
In the New York state by law, employers must provide employees with this type of training as per the sexual harassment policy that was put in place in 2019. There are several harassment prevention policies in place that vary from state to state. If you’re unsure of the policies in your area, it’s a good idea to check the state law requirements to get an idea of the type of course that you should be providing your employees with.
All employees across all sectors should be trained in this area of harassment. Statistics have revealed that 21% of Americans have experienced this type of harassment with 81% being women. And, despite the actions in place to prevent the harassment in the first place, it is certainly an ongoing issue.
If employers follow the same state law that is set out in New York there could be a drastic reduction in sexual harassment complaints. While local laws – and each deadline – will vary, the right training requirements can help all employees including managerial staff such as supervisors too.