Why managers must address workplace harassment proactively
The Treasury Board of Canada states that its objective as an employer is to “maintain a productive, healthy and respectful workplace where positive working relationships and practices are promoted.” Unfortunately, not all federal employees enjoy this kind of work environment. Instead, workplace harassment is a very real problem in the federal public sector. The 2018 Public Service Employee Survey revealed that 15 per cent of the more than 163,000 employees who completed the survey indicated having been victims of workplace harassment in the previous year. That figure represents almost 24,500 federal employees. Only 7 per cent filed a grievance or formal complaint.
The federal government’s Directive on the Harassment Complaint process flows from its Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution. The Directive sets out the steps for a complainant to take if he or she feels harassed in the workplace. Responsibility lies with the deputy head of the department to ensure such complaints are dealt with in a timely, efficient manner. However, research indicates that most victims of harassment do not report the behaviour for fear of reprisal, being perceived as a complainer, or because of a lack of faith in the process.
Impacts of workplace harassment
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety identifies a wide range of responses that a victim of workplace harassment may experience. Responses include shock, helplessness, loss of confidence, inability to sleep and eat, low productivity, family tension, and psychosomatic symptoms, among others. Organizations can incur higher risks associated with increased absenteeism and stress among workers. These lead to decreased productivity and motivation, increased costs attached to employee assistance programs and recruitment initiatives due to turnover, increased risk of workplace accidents, and risk to customer confidence and service. What can managers do to mitigate these risks?
A proactive approach
Managers need to do more than merely review the government’s harassment policy once a year. Employing the following proactive strategies will encourage victims of harassment to come forward and deter bad behaviour among wrongdoers:
1. Set the tone. Rather than addressing workplace harassment only when problems arise or once a year during policy review, managers need to raise the issue with their team members regularly. Speaking openly about the issue fosters an environment in which people feel comfortable to raise concerns. It also puts workplace bullies on notice that harassment will not be tolerated.
2. Listen. The importance of listening attentively and empathetically when someone is alleging workplace harassment cannot be overstated. Coming forward to report workplace harassment can be profoundly difficult. Listening does not mean accepting as truth whatever has been said. It means giving a voice to an individual so he or she feels the complaint will be taken seriously.
3. Know the rules. All too often, managers play a passive role when they receive a harassment complaint. They scramble to familiarize themselves with the policy and, as a result, devalue the process. How can an employee trust a system that is a mere afterthought for management?
4. Be fearless in implementing the rules. When an investigation reveals that harassment has occurred, act. Apply the rules decisively. Hold employees to account: if someone is behaving inappropriately, have an honest, candid discussion with the individual. Sometimes people are simply unaware that their behaviour is unsuitable for the workplace. Management must address the problematic behaviour and explain what is acceptable.
Research findings highlighted in a December 2018 Harvard Business Review article reveal a clear link between leadership messaging connected to harassment and the likelihood of it occurring in the workplace. There are many worthy principles laid out in the Government of Canada’s Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution, but it is up to managers to bring them to life. It’s time to take the bully by the horns. And in this case, the bully is the culture that condones.
