Harassment in the workplace can take many forms, including sexual harassment, verbal or physical abuse, bullying, or discrimination. It can cause significant harm to employees, lead to low morale and productivity, and damage the organization's reputation. That's why employers need to take proactive steps to prevent and address harassment before it begins.
Anti-harassment training aims to educate employees and managers on what constitutes harassment, how to recognize and report it, and how to create a culture of respect in the workplace.
However, implementing practical anti-harassment training can be a challenge. Many employees may resist change or feel uncomfortable discussing sensitive topics. That's where training templates can help! The GoSkills Template Gallery provides a customizable anti-harassment training template that makes delivering practical training to employees more accessible and more efficient.
Here, we'll explore why anti-harassment training is essential and how you can immediately integrate this training into your organization.
Why anti-harassment training is important
Harassment in the workplace can have severe consequences for both employees and employers. Let's dive deeper into the biggest reasons to implement anti-harassment training in your organization immediately.
1. Reduces harm in the workplace
Harassment can lead to a toxic work environment, where employees may experience stress, anxiety, and other health issues. This can negatively impact their performance, morale, and job satisfaction. In extreme cases, harassment can also result in legal action, reputational damage, and financial penalties for the organization.
2. Allows employers to provide a safe work environment
Employers are legally obligated to provide a safe workplace for their employees, free from harassment and discrimination. Failure to do so can result in legal action and significant financial penalties. Anti-harassment training can help employers meet their legal obligations and protect their organization from liability.
3. Benefits both employees and employers
Anti-harassment training can benefit both employees and employers. For employees, it can help them feel more confident in identifying and reporting harassment and create a more respectful and inclusive workplace culture. It can help employers reduce legal liability, improve employee retention, and increase productivity.
4. Creates a respectful workplace culture
This is essential for preventing harassment. Organizations can foster a positive and healthy work environment by promoting respect, inclusivity, and open communication. Anti-harassment training can play a critical role in achieving this by educating employees on identifying and addressing harassment and reinforcing the importance of respect and inclusivity in the workplace.
Challenges of anti-harassment training
Despite the importance of anti-harassment training, implementing effective training programs can be challenging. Let's address some common challenges.
1. Misconceptions about anti-harassment
Many people have misconceptions about what constitutes harassment, making it challenging to recognize and address. For example, some may believe that harassment is only physical or that it has to be intentional to be considered harassment. Practical anti-harassment training should address these misconceptions and provide clear guidance on what constitutes harassment.
2. Resistance to change and discomfort around discussing sensitive topics
Some employees may resist anti-harassment training, either because they don't see the need for it or because they feel uncomfortable discussing sensitive issues. Addressing these concerns and creating a safe and supportive learning environment for all employees is essential.
3. Ensuring training is effective and engaging
To be effective, anti-harassment training must be engaging and relevant to employees' experiences. Generic or boring training programs may not be effective in changing behavior. That's why it's crucial to use interactive and engaging training methods that allow employees to apply what they've learned in real-world scenarios.
Anti-harassment topics to address in training
Organizations must recognize and address different types of workplace harassment to create a safe and respectful workplace culture. Here are some of the different kinds of workplace harassment.
Sexual harassment
This type of harassment involves unwanted behavior of a sexual nature, including comments, gestures, physical contact, or advances. This type of harassment can create a hostile work environment and lead to a range of adverse outcomes for the employee, including anxiety, depression, and reduced productivity.
Discriminatory harassment
This occurs when an employee is targeted based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, or other protected characteristics. This type of harassment can include offensive comments, slurs, or actions that create a hostile work environment.
Bullying
Bullying is a type of harassment involving persistent, unwelcome behavior intended to intimidate or belittle the employee. This can include verbal abuse, exclusion, or spreading false rumors.
Cyber harassment
This is a relatively new form of harassment that involves using technology, such as social media or email, to bully or harass an employee. This type of harassment can include cyberstalking, sending threatening messages, or spreading false information about the employee online.
Verbal harassment
Verbal harassment involves using derogatory, offensive, or abusive language toward an employee. This type of harassment can create a hostile work environment and lead to a range of negative outcomes for the employee.
Physical harassment
Physical harassment involves unwanted physical contact, such as pushing, hitting, or groping. This type of harassment can have severe physical and emotional consequences for the employee and create a hostile work environment.
The benefits of anti-harassment training using a template
GoSkills is an online training platform that provides a range of customizable training templates for businesses. Our anti-harassment training template is designed to be easy to use and can be customized to meet your organization's specific needs.
Customizable training template for anti-harassment training
Anti-harassment training can include a range of modules on topics such as identifying harassment, what constitutes harassment, and reporting incidents of harassment.
GoSkills templates make training more accessible and more interactive
You can include videos and case studies that help employees apply what they've learned in real-world scenarios. The GoSkills Learning Management System also includes reporting and tracking tools that allow you to monitor employee progress and ensure compliance.
Wrapping it up
Addressing harassment in the workplace is critical for creating a safe and respectful workplace culture. Anti-harassment training effectively prevents and addresses harassment, but it can be challenging to implement for smaller organizations or lean teams.
The GoSkills anti-harassment training template offers solutions to these challenges. It provides customizable, engaging, and practical training programs to help organizations meet their legal obligations, protect employees, and create a positive and inclusive workplace culture. Creating a safe and respectful workplace is everyone's responsibility. Organizations can take an essential step toward achieving this goal by implementing practical anti-harassment training.
By using GoSkills training templates, organizations can save time and resources while delivering practical anti-harassment training to their employees. This can improve employee morale and retention, decrease legal liability, and build a more substantial reputation for the organization.
If you want to explore more employee training and development opportunities, check out our additional free resources.
If you or someone you know has experienced workplace sexual assault, seeking support and resources is essential. Visit HelpingSurvivors.org for information on how to get help, including legal resources, counseling, and support groups. Remember, you are not alone, and there is help available.
Make training easy
Access the template gallery with a free GoSkills account for your business!
Learn more
