How to prevent workplace harassment or mobbing? is a global unethical practice that is on the rise in the corporate world and needs to be mitigated. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), 1 out of every 10 workers is a victim of this situation.
In Mexico, 49% of professionals have been victims and 70% have resigned, in Spain it is considered a crime and in our organizations as an exponential risk.
This behavior is an attack against our organizations and is characterized by humiliating, offensive and an abuse of authority that leads to physical and psycho-emotional effects on the victim, such as chronic stress or burnout, anxiety, depression, resignation or even suicide.
Workplace harassment is like a prison for those who suffer it, in most cases they do not feel confident to report the situation for fear of retaliation or loss of their job.
Organizations must consider these psychological factors and follow a Code of Ethics that does not allow favoritism when the employees make a complaint. One of the most effective tools is an Integral Ethics System, which consists of an Ethic hotline, a training program and constant monitoring of the compliance with the Code of Ethics. It must´ve to be a protocol for the investigation of the cases.
How to identify harassment at work?
If we want to have a better work environment, you must keep trust among the employees, build a teamwork environment and improve productivity and the employees performance, then we are interested in how to learn the ways in which workplace harassment can be expressed within organizations; it is worth mentioning that this type of violence is exercised systematically, repeatedly and intentionally.
Some examples of this behavior are:
Ignoring and excluding
Block the communication, exclude employees when they want to participate, disqualifying opinions or suggestions, not inviting them to be part of the work meeting, among others.
Sexual harassment
All kinds of insinuations and non-consensual actions involving a sexual theme: inappropriate looks, text messages, invitations in exchange for sexual favors.
No recognition
There is no recognition of the work done, minimization of achievements, constant criticism.
Intimidation
Damage to personal property, leaving threat notes or messages.
Disqualification
Blaming for faults committed by others, exaggerating mistakes, attacking the person’s self-esteem, sowing doubts about the work, negative rumors.
Teasing and humiliation
Making degrading negative comments, insults that may be in private, in public or behind the victim’s back through shouting, discrimination and mistreatment. Assigning excessive tasks below their capabilities or above their possibilities or available means.
Abuse of authority
Making use of their position to intimidate, excluding them from their payments in time and form, threats of dismissal, not granting labor rights and other actions to the detriment of the victim.
It´s clear that preventing harassment at work means foreseeing the situations in which it can potentially happen:
1. Detect the sources of harassment. Through the treatment between staff, managers and collaborators.
2. Inform and train employees. Attitudes that are not tolerable, such as gossip, rumors, lies or deceit, humiliation or mockery, exclusion in the working area, should be made clear.
3. Teach the tools you have. The Whistleblower Hotline is an excellent way to report situations maintaining the confidentiality and anonymity of the employee, as well as the security to have no repercussions
The times when the organization can intervene in a case of workplace harassment is when the complainant notifies to the immediate boss, Human Resources or through the Ethics Line. That´s why the organizations must be prepared to prevent workplace harassment in any of their forms, the actions or omissions of the company are the key to have good resolution or complicity.
At EthicsGlobal we know that the well-being of each of the workers is the most important thing for the organizations and their success is influenced by the quality in the treatment with the human capital. Contact with our consultants, and try a new way of business life.
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