How to Prevent Discrimination and Harassment in the Workplace

Standard language in employee handbooks states company policies that prohibit unfair treatment in the workplace. Companies that commit to fair employment practices develop policies to prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace. They also reinforce company policies by providing diversity training. In addition to diversity training, effective methods to prevent discriminatory behavior include strict enforcement of employment policies that prohibit discrimination and harassment.

Instructions

1. Review your company policy on workplace discrimination and harassment. Compare your policy to guidelines published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. EEOC issues anti-harassment policies that employers use to tailor policies suitable for their individual companies and industries. Confer with legal counsel about recent legislation that may affect employment law and workplace conditions. Ensure that your handbook is up-to-date on rules and regulations concerning fair employment practices.

2. Discuss with company leadership teams new training initiatives as a departure from the canned versions of diversity training. Poll employees on how to present anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training that is most effective. Many companies require mandatory diversity training, essentially forcing an understanding of these concepts. Your training should be mandatory but presented in a manner that gets to the point of why discrimination and harassment occur and how to prevent them from causing workplace morale to plummet.

3. Draft outlines for training sessions that pose real-life situations pertaining to the social and legal ramifications of discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Develop the curriculum to include the many faces of diversity: race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, color and generational differences. The workforce consists of many different cultures, work styles and values that should become a part of your training. Role-play is a great way to incorporate experiential learning in your diversity curriculum for adult learners.

4. Deliver the training in classroom format to your entire workforce, including executives. Provide definitions of discrimination and harassment, and require full participation from attendees. Schedule round-the-clock training for employees who don't work normal business hours if your company is a 24-hour operation. Upon the completion of training sessions, remind attendees of the consequences of engaging in discriminatory actions and harassment, as well as the company's zero tolerance for unfair treatment.

References

• "USA Today": Tips for Preventing Discrimination in the Workplace
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Federal Laws Prohibiting Job Discrimination Questions and Answers
• "Michigan Journal of Business": Perceptions of Female Managers in Male-Dominated Industries -- Effects of Gender Rarity, Performance and Diversity Justification
• Today's Workplace: Gender Stereotyping in the Workplace and the Discrimination It Creates
• Mercer: Diversity Matters at Mercer

Resources

• HR
• Society for Human Resource Management
• National Human Resources Association
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• National Labor Relations Board