Harassment Prevention Programs

POSH complaints in India jumped from 71 in 2013-14 to 1,160 in 2022-23, across just 300 listed companies (Centre for Economic Data & Analysis, Ashoka University). That’s a 620% increase in a decade. It might sound like progress in reporting. But after four decades in HR, I can tell you this: The real danger isn’t what’s reported. It’s what’s endured in silence. Because 75% of workplace harassment incidents still go unreported. The real story isn’t in annual compliance reports. It’s in the things people whisper about but never file. + An intern who never came back after her first project. + A series of small, humiliating jokes that weren’t funny. + Proximity that felt off and power plays disguised as feedback. And what makes it worse is that the burden of avoidance is almost always on the person being harassed. Avoid that corridor. Decline that meeting. Smile through discomfort. Globally, 23% of workers experience violence or harassment at work, as per Gallup. But 55% never report it to anyone. That gap between what happens and what gets reported isn’t just a statistic. It’s a leadership failure. We’ve built systems that are excellent at documenting problems, but terrible at preventing them. And while companies lose millions in productivity, we keep treating symptoms instead of fixing the culture. Zero complaints doesn’t mean zero harassment. It means zero psychological safety. Real POSH isn’t about perfect paperwork. It’s about building cultures where speaking up doesn’t feel career-ending and where bystanders become allies, not silent witnesses. So what can you do? ✔️ Train your managers to spot early signs of discomfort ✔️ Create safe, informal channels to raise concerns ✔️ Make your leadership accountable, not just compliant Because at the end of the day, silence isn’t a sign of safety. It’s a symptom of fear. And any culture that counts silence as success is complicit. #poshawareness #thoughtleadership

RESPECT AT WORK | Compliance-based harassment, bullying and discrimination training typically involves defining and providing examples of prohibited potential unlawful and criminal behaviours. Not surprisingly, while this approach transfers knowledge, it does little to prevent those behaviours. Many participants fail to connect cognitively or emotionally with the content because they don't feel it's relevant to their behaviour or their experience. Other participants feel powerless to effect change in others' behaviours. Also, we know that learning and behavioural change are more likely when individuals feel they are part of the solution and not the problem—telling learners what they can do rather than what they can't. Effective respectful workplace behaviour training focuses on the underlying stereotypes and biases that devalue some individuals and groups relative to others and transfers skills for identifying and disrupting harmful beliefs whether they manifest as unconscious biases, casual sexism and racism, subtle slights of exclusion, or prohibited behaviours. While not all employees will experience or witness unlawful and criminal behaviours at work, most employees experience or witness everyday biases. When these lower-level harms are left unchecked, the harmful stereotypes and beliefs that underpin them are perpetuated. These are the same beliefs and attitudes that underpin more serious harm. The negative stereotypes that devalue women, diverse genders, or diverse sexualities that underpin a sexist or homophobic joke are the same negative stereotypes that underpin gendered and sexual violence. When employees are empowered to disrupt everyday biases, they become powerful change agents for preventing more serious harm. We support employers in preventing workplace misconduct through workplace culture reviews, risk assessment, learning and development, and employee focus groups. Email info@cultureplusconsulting.com for further information. Additional resources: Why employers need to step up: https://lnkd.in/gkNg_46R A checklist for boards: https://lnkd.in/gP8TMBzX Leadership considerations: https://lnkd.in/gFB7CvDe Identifying risks: https://lnkd.in/gvVYrDUy Managing risks: https://lnkd.in/gKSpxQu5 Evidence-based training: https://lnkd.in/gUN8cwTd and https://lnkd.in/gFB7CvDe Trauma-informed grievance processes: https://lnkd.in/gP5Z5pcc

A workplace's inaction following reports of harassment, discrimination or incivility sends a message that these behaviors are accepted and perpetrators, rather than victims, are protected. Ignoring or minimizing reports of unethical or violent behavior in the workplace leads to the creation of toxic, unsafe cultures where employees are likely to suffer from psychological distress. Employers have a responsibility to create safe workplaces for all employees. Recently, the Commission for Norms, Equity, Health, and Security in the Workplace updated the Quebec (Canada) law: Employers must now include workplace psychosocial risk factors in their prevention programs or action plans. They present six psychosocial risk factors that should be included in prevention programs: • Autonomy in decision-making • Workload • Organizational justice • Recognition at work • Support at work Implementing structures that will reduce psychological risk factors is necessary to support the creation of safe workplaces for all. We also need to ensure that structures and programs are adequately implemented and that organizations are serious about creating safe workplaces. Employees who report wrongdoing in the workplace need to be protected and supported. Creating structures and programs to reduce psychosocial risk factors will help reduce the occurrence of harassment, incivility, and discrimination in workplaces. One key element in successfully implementing such programs is the support of upper management. Indeed, if you look at all six risk factors presented above, they are all associated with upper management decisions and behaviors (giving employees autonomy, employee workload, organizational justice, employee support and recognition). It is crucial to hire and promote leaders whose values, decisions, and actions align with creating psychologically healthy workplaces to reduce the psychosocial risk factors for harassment and intimidation. Integrating psychosocial risk factors into workplace harassment prevention programs is a positive step. It will require an investment for organizations. However, these organizations will see a return on their investment. Creating a safe workplace will reduce absenteeism due to mental and physical health issues and increase employees' motivation, engagement, retention, and productivity. Seeing such changes and initiatives gives me hope that we are on the right path to creating better workplaces. Take care of yourself and the people around you 💗

What is organizational responsibility in protecting employees from #bullying? 😖💔 The feeling of a bullied employee being told that "bullying is not illegal" - and hence, there is no recourse - is one of the most heartbreaking things I can think of. Yes, bullying protections in the US (which vary by state) often are insufficient for addressing bullying, especially when it occurs within the same demographic (involving people of the same gender, race, or age), as it often does - or in the cases of upward bullying. But that does not mean organizations should just sit back and let the abuse continue. Whether it is technically illegal or not, human and organizational well-being call for creating systems that prevent bullying and nip in in the bud when it does occur. I am thrilled to have been quoted in Lisa Nagele-Piazza, SHRM-SCP article that looks at both legal and organizational aspects of addressing bullying. My key suggestion for employers is to focus on structural and systemic prevention of bullying. Prevention integrated within #HumanResources and #Management systems is the key to success and creating healthy organizations. In addition, organizations can: ❗Set clear expectations and be consistent. Employers that do not consistently enforce their policies risk negatively affecting morale. Plus, inconsistencies can create legal liability. ❗Train employees. Employers may want to add anti-bullying to their harassment prevention program. Notably, some employers must already do this under state law. In California, for example, employers with at least 50 employees must include “abusive conduct” prevention as a component of their mandatory anti-harassment training. ❗Establish a reporting process. “Employers should strive to create an environment in which employees feel free to raise concerns and are confident that those concerns will be addressed,” according to the EEOC. ❗Promptly and thoroughly investigate complaints. Take complaints seriously, and consider designating an experienced person or team to conduct investigations. ❗Assess company culture. Regularly assess organizational culture to detect early signs of a toxic environment.  We can do better. Do not tolerate toxic 🛑⚠ behavior.

Doctor by day, victim by night. When did our hospitals become hunting grounds? My wife is a doctor. The Kolkata incident isn't just news—it's our nightmare. Today, I'm shelving my usual GTM talk. We need to discuss safety. Now. 🩺 Context: A young doctor, brutally assaulted in her workplace. Our healers aren't safe. Our sisters, wives, daughters aren't safe. I'm not just angry; I'm terrified. And I know you are too. I'm pausing my usual GTM content. Today, we talk safety. Real, practical, now. 💡 Real, Practical Ideas (because "thoughts and prayers" don't cut it): → Workplace Audit: Every hospital needs a safety check. Yesterday. → Buddy System: No solo shifts, especially at night. Non-negotiable. → Self-Defense Training: Mandatory. For everyone. No exceptions. → Panic Buttons: Every room, every corridor. Linked directly to security. → CCTV Monitoring: 24/7, with real-time alerts. Privacy with security. → Zero Tolerance Policy: Any harassment? Immediate action. Always. → Community Watch: Involve local residents. More eyes = more safety. → Regular Drills: Practice emergency responses. Monthly, at least. → Counseling Services: For staff and patients. Mental health is health. → Transport Services: Safe rides home for late shifts. Every time. 🚀 Tech Support (not solutions, but tools): → Shake2Safety: Shake for SOS → bSafe: Your personal safety network → Himmat: Delhi Police's official app → VithU: Two taps for help → Safetipin: Crowdsourced area safety info 🔥 Call to Action: Healthcare pros: Demand these changes. Your life depends on it. Tech folks: Build better. We need you. Managers: Implement now. No budget excuses. Everyone else: Speak up. Support. Share. This is on all of us. This isn't just a women's issue or a doctor's issue. It's a human rights crisis. Drop a 🏥 if you're ready to make our hospitals fortresses of healing again. Share your ideas. Tag decision-makers. Let's turn this pain into policy. #ProtectOurHealers #SafetyFirstAlways #TimeForAction #LinkedInForChange P.S. To every healthcare worker, especially women: We see you. We value you. Your safety isn't optional. It's a right. And we're fighting for it. Together. 💪

Why workplace harassment persists despite policies — and what leaders can do
By: Sandy Hershcovis, Ivana Vranjes, Lilia M. Cortina, and Zhanna Lyubykh
 Formal policies against workplace harassment are everywhere. Reporting mechanisms are outlined in handbooks. Training modules repeat each year. And yet, harassment continues. This article helps explain why. Drawing on research across thousands of employees, the authors show that harassment often persists because people learn, quickly and accurately, that speaking up carries social, professional, and reputational risk. Employees see what happens when concerns are raised. They notice whose complaints receive follow‑up and whose quietly disappear. Silence becomes a rational response to systems that reward compliance and punish disruption. What stands out in this research is the focus on ethical leadership behavior, especially at the front‑line manager level. Policies barely matter if leaders respond inconsistently, minimize harm, protect offenders, or frame reporting as inconvenient. Over time, workplaces develop an informal rule: knowing what is happening does not mean intervening. This helps explain a familiar pattern in many organizations: Harassment becomes an open secret. Witnesses advise targets to stay quiet as a form of protection. Complaints are reframed as interpersonal conflict or oversensitivity. Leaders describe themselves as neutral while power hierarchies do the damage. The article underscores something survivors, advocates, and researchers have said for years: harassment persists because organizational silence is produced, reinforced, and maintained. It thrives in environments where fairness looks selective, accountability feels symbolic, and risk flows downward. The authors also offer a clear challenge to leaders. Ethical leadership involves visible follow‑through, consistent standards, and a willingness to disrupt comfort for the sake of safety. It means treating concerns as data about system health rather than problems to contain. Culture changes when employees observe that speaking up leads to protection rather than retaliation. For workplaces serious about prevention, this research points beyond training and compliance. It asks leaders to examine how their everyday decisions teach employees what is safe to say, who is believed, and whose harm matters. Awareness of harassment often exists alongside silence because risk is unevenly distributed. Front‑line leaders play a decisive role in shaping whether employees speak or withdraw. Inconsistent responses signal which complaints are welcome and which carry consequences. Ethical leadership requires visible, repeated actions that reinforce fairness and integrity. Harassment prevention lives or dies at the level of daily leadership behavior. 🔗Link in comments #WorkplaceHarassment
#EthicalLeadership
#PsychologicalSafety
#OrganizationalCulture
#LeadershipAccountability
#EmployeeVoice
#WorkplaceJustice
#TraumaInformedWorkplaces

Most organizations still treat sexual harassment and workplace violence as two separate problems. They’re not. They’re the same behavioral continuum. When someone crosses boundaries through harassment, bullying, intimidation, or coercion, they’re not “being inappropriate.” They’re demonstrating early‑stage behaviors of violence—power, control, entitlement, and disregard for others’ safety. If we only respond when things turn physical, we’re not preventing violence. We’re documenting it. Here’s the shift leaders need to make: 🔹 Harassment is harm. It creates fear, hypervigilance, and psychological injury—core elements of workplace violence. 🔹 Harassment is a warning sign. It often precedes escalation: stalking, retaliation, threats, and domestic‑violence spillover. 🔹 Harassment is preventable. When organizations recognize these behaviors early, they can intervene early. A safer workplace isn’t built by reacting to incidents. It’s built by recognizing patterns. This is why my work in violence prevention, threat assessment, and trauma‑informed leadership always integrates harassment, bullying, discrimination, and intimidation into one unified prevention strategy. Because if we can recognize the behavior beneath the behavior, we can prevent the harm before it happens. If your organization is ready to move from compliance to true prevention, let’s talk.

As an employment lawyer serving the maritime industry, I see firsthand the issues companies are navigating today and the ones they must have on their radar. Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) prevention and response training isn’t just about compliance; it’s about preparing management and crews to know exactly what to do if these issues arise. Unlike Title VII harassment claims — where the employee may (or may not) report their complaint to the EEOC — under the Safer Seas Act, the company is responsible for reporting complaints, and must do so within very tight timelines. Companies are also required to investigate and provide After Action Summaries, and outcomes can directly impact a mariner’s credentials. That makes SASH training and investigations even more critical. SASH training helps maritime employers: ⚓ Ensure compliance with Safer Seas Act requirements ⚓ Equip managers and crews to recognize, report, and respond appropriately ⚓ Reduce liability and reputational risk for operators ⚓ Promote a culture of safety, trust, and professionalism at sea To maximize impact, SASH trainings can also be combined with management and leadership training, so captains and other leaders walk away with practical tools for compliance, culture, and crew management in one program. 💡 I’m scheduling fall SASH/maritime leadership trainings now — reach out if your company needs to review policies, update materials, or get your team trained before year’s end. And if you are faced with a complaint, reach out about the investigation - a prompt well-executed investigation can be the best defense to a parallel Coast Guard investigation. #employmentlaw #sexualassaultsexualharassment #coastguard #SASH

Most companies still handle workplace feedback so poorly, they're actively creating the toxic cultures they want to avoid. Enabling employees to call someone’s behavior discriminatory or labeling actions as harassment often backfires. It puts people on the defensive, escalates tensions, and halts meaningful dialogue before it begins. As a former employment lawyer, I watched countless harassment cases follow the same destructive pattern: an accusation would trigger immediate defensiveness, locking both sides into positions where no learning or improvement was possible. We developed the Workplace Color Spectrum as a direct, practical solution—color-coding specific behaviors rather than labeling individuals. This simple shift allows you to say, “That action fell into the orange zone,” instead of, “You’re discriminating.” It creates a safe, neutral language that people can hear without feeling personally attacked. The reason this approach works: • It clearly separates actions from personal identity. • It recognizes that anyone can occasionally behave in problematic ways. • It provides a common vocabulary for teams to discuss sensitive issues objectively. • It shifts the conversation from blame toward actionable improvement. Organizations adopting this framework are seeing measurable results: • CEOs color coding actions in company town halls. • HR teams incorporating the framework into new-hire onboarding. • Teams organically color coding behaviors during feedback conversations. One national retail client used our analytics to identify a district manager whose behaviors consistently registered in the "orange zone." Mapping these behaviors revealed hidden costs—higher turnover, increased investigation expenses, and rising employee-relations claims—transforming feedback into a clear, urgent business case. If you're delivering feedback that immediately triggers defensiveness, shift your language: Instead of: “You were inappropriate when...” Try: “That action was in the orange zone because...” Color-code actions, not individuals, and you'll see defensive reactions replaced by genuine engagement and measurable behavioral change.

🎭 No Joke: a Louisville comedy club just paid $372,500 to settle EEOC sexual harassment charges. Turns out, the punchline landed on the employer. See what I did there? 😉 Here's what the EEOC found: a manager was sexually harassing multiple employees, the club failed to respond meaningfully, and on top of everything else, they weren't even posting the required "Know Your Rights" workplace discrimination notice. That last part is a five-minute fix that costs nothing. I refer to something like that as unforced error. This case is a useful reminder that EEOC exposure rarely comes from one catastrophic event. It frequently builds from a pattern of inaction, a complaint that wasn't taken seriously, a manager who wasn't trained, a policy that existed on paper but was never enforced, and no one internally whose job it was to make sure any of that changed. Under the three-year conciliation agreement, the club now has to do everything they should have been doing from day one: mandatory Title VII harassment training, updated anti-discrimination and retaliation policies, a designated EEO compliance officer, and proper workplace postings. The EEOC also gets three years of oversight to make sure it actually happens. The irony? None of that is expensive or complicated to implement before a charge is filed. It becomes very expensive once the EEOC gets involved and starts asking why it wasn't already in place. Proactive risk management in this area doesn't require a massive HR department or outside counsel on retainer. It requires an honest internal audit: ❓ Are your managers trained? ❓ Does your harassment policy have teeth? ❓ Do you have a complaint procedure that employees actually trust? ❓ Are your workplace postings current? If you can't answer yes to all of those ... you have work to do. The EEOC is not going to find the gap funny. Neither will your insurer. #EmploymentLaw #EEOC #HarassmentPrevention #HRCompliance #EmployerAdvice #hr