Culture And Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Culture And Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a common and severe problem. Consequences may endure a lifetime and involve both physical and psychological distress. It not only harms the victims but also has a significant influence on the workforce (Avendano, 2018). The ramifications of sexual harassment occurrences have damaged and continue to harm employers and workers. This problem is often disregarded and under-discussed at work, even though it has several negative repercussions that should be highlighted. Sexual harassment may take many forms and is not necessarily apparent to everyone involved (Avendano, 2018). Interpersonal sexual objectification is a kind of conduct that involves behaviors such as objectifying looks, making sexual remarks, making sexual approaches, and touching. Sexual harassment may be defined as any sexually awkward circumstance, such as trading dirty jokes, making sexually suggestive comments, stalking, or other unpleasant activities.

Since harassment may take many various forms, it also has some negative impact on victims. When someone is harassed, the repercussions may include hampered career progress or unemployment for those forced to quit their jobs (Avendano, 2018). Participating in such a terrible event may result in long-term emotional implications such as stress, anxiety, despair, low self-esteem, trust difficulties, and job obstacles. Serious physical health problems may arise due to these mental health difficulties (Futch,2018). Patients may have nightmares, lack of appetite, and agitation. Many variables come into the equation when attempting to avoid sexual harassment in the workplace. Victims often fear that no one will believe them, that coming out would cause issues at work, or that they will be too embarrassed to face the consequences (Futch,2018). There are various paradoxical responses, and the attacker’s position considerably influences the victim’s readiness to respond.

A significant percentage of the population will spend more than a quarter working. The actions and perspectives of employees influence the cultures that develop in places of work. A moral and honest atmosphere must be preserved and cultivated in the workplace (Keyton et al., 2018). The firm’s culture may either support or impede the achievement of its aims. In addition, the culture of the workplace may either favorably or adversely affect employee performance, as well as employee happiness and engagement. For example, claims of sexual harassment are more likely to be filed against an employer when the working environment at the company in question is hostile (Keyton et al., 2018). Therefore, it is essential for a business to have leaders at the helm who are informed, capable, and competent and whose values contribute to the development of a constructive working environment.

These concepts are communicated to employees by competent, accountable, and progressive leaders in their values, resulting in an environment conducive to productivity. Conversely, negative and critical supervisors foster a culture in which employees are disengaged from their work and lack motivation (Keyton et al., 2018). Leadership is necessary to give the necessary resources and authority to successfully execute these projects and get public approval for such initiatives. The research found that employees are more likely to consider sexual harassment seriously when their superiors engage in such behavior in public. In addition, for the message to influence the workers’ sense of justice, action must be performed for it to be effective (Keyton et al., 2018). In addition, businesses that successfully handle harassment often acknowledge that they cannot prevent every instance of the problem and are transparent with their overall approach and culture. To reduce sexual harassment, employers must constantly examine their working conditions and make every possible effort to improve them.

References

Avendano, A. (2018). Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Where Were the Unions? Labor Studies Journal. 43 (4), 245-262.

Futch, C. (2018). Practical Options for Stopping Sexual Harassment & Bullying in the Workplace. Georgia Nursing, 78(3), 1-2

Keyton, J., Clair, R., Compton, C. A., Dougherty, D. S., Forbes Berthoud, D., Manning, J., & Scarduzio, J. A. (2018). Addressing sexual harassment in a sexually charged national culture: a Journal of Applied Communication Research forum. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 46(6), 665-683.