Sexual harassment is an on-going issue and harassment training is vital to an organization.
First of all, bringing awareness to both employees and management is important when it comes to harassment of any kind. In order to bring awareness, there must be a formal training program for both.
A harassment policy needs to be communicated regularly and should be included in the employee handbook. It’s important to train both employees and managers; to know where the company stands with regard to harassment; that it will not be tolerated and that there are consequences for the behavior.
With regular training and communication, employees are going to think twice about anything that may be construed as harassment. Besides the typical Quid Pro Quo, which is a favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something, harassment can include making comments, posting or having something in the office that may be offensive to someone. Training brings an awareness to all.
Should there ever be any type of lawsuit or liability issue, having that training, proving that people have gone through the training, is critical. It’s not just a one-time thing. It should be ongoing. I typically recommend training once a year, have a review, and then have some type of program for anyone who’s been brought on board as part of the onboarding process.
If you have more questions, I suggest consulting with an experienced HR professional.
