Without employee trust in people holding key positions in the organization, it will be almost impossible to have an effective workplace harassment prevention program. Workplace harassment prevention training needs to deal with this issue plus all of the additional resources, tools, and support systems in place that will further establish and enable trust. However, the core is relational trust among people.
When people are faced with workplace harassment, one of the first issues that will arise is whether the organization, represented by its leadership, has a reputable track record in dealing with such matters. They will interrogate and ask questions about how steadfast the organization has been in consistently applying its harassment prevention policies, procedures, and values.
They will ask themselves and others if the organization meets its commitments to safeguarding the vulnerable and dealing with matters confidentially and in a balanced fashion. Have those tasked with upholding harassment prevention always been careful to protect disclosures and investigate thoroughly and with clear competence?
Working with trust
Anyone subject to any kind of abuse or intimidation knows the value of being able to depend on those in powerful positions to counteract the power of the harasser. The dependability of the custodians or the moral and ethical fiber of the organization must be irrefutable. The level of confidence that employees have in these leaders should undoubtedly be something canvassed during workplace harassment prevention training so that any deficiencies can be confronted and meaningfully dealt with.
Online equality and diversity training is an essential part of any workplace harassment prevention program as it too focuses on the critical aspects of building trust. The need for trust is in fact amplified during harassment incidents as the stakes are often incredibly high. Trust must often be next level, especially if very sensitive or intimate disclosures need to be made. People will need to know that they will not only be treated respectfully but that empathy and understanding will also be integrated throughout the process.
Only the highest levels of trust will allow people to set aside their fears that they might be judged, blamed, or criticized for any thoughts, feelings, or actions. People who are accountable for the effective implementation of workplace harassment prevention must therefore be role models of the ability to make people feel totally comfortable in sharing. Dealing with complex harassment challenges will demand deep reservoirs of emotional intelligence and interpersonal acumen to ensure victims feel emotionally secure throughout the management of incidents.
Benefiting from trust
Workplace harassment prevention training will also facilitate the enhancement of trust across employee-organizational relationships in the interest of building resilience which is a by-product of trust. When we trust each other, we are more likely to be persistent when times are tough and go the extra mile for the other. Especially in a crisis, if trust levels are high, there will inherently be greater optimism that we can get through things together. This is often the lifeline needed to instil hope that the end results will be positive despite the pain or anxiety that needs to be endured whilst matters are being dealt with as speedily and rationally as possible.
The other element of trust brought to the forefront during online equality and diversity training which ties well with workplace harassment prevention training is that trust is fluid, and this needs to be attended to constantly by being mindful of one’s credibility. In managing harassment, it is therefore important to avoid over-promising and instead, be diligently honest about all aspects of a case. One wants to frame expectations realistically.
We should never underestimate people’s desire for the truth and their appreciation of this. Whether it is good or bad news, it is always better to receive it from people we trust and who we know to be working in our best interests. This also includes admitting when we don’t know something or got something wrong. Transparency is integral to trust and this is better preserved when management explains thoroughly their thinking and the reasons for them taking a particular route to deal with matters.
Effective harassment prevention programs take cognizance of the fact that trust is reciprocal and that when the organization rewards employees with trust for the right behaviors, such as stepping forward in cases of harassment, they are in fact cultivating courage. Whilst trust is always fragile and needs to be built up over time, prizing it as our most valuable asset in winning the war on harassment, will pay untold dividends.
Workplace harassment prevention for employees and bullying prevention training will ensure that people face the “enemy” with the right level of knowledge.
People will understand the true nature of the problem, its causes, its consequences and the pervasive extent to which it exists.
Workplace sexual harassment is not always on the face. Gestures and words that make you feel uncomfortable could also be sexual harassment. Here is an example of an office meeting gone wrong.
