Anti-Harassment Training, Inappropriate Workplace Conduct, Sexual Harassment

What is inappropriate workplace conduct?

Many employees would easily recognize a racial slur or vulgar joke as inappropriate. However when an employee feels disrespected or unsafe because of language or behavior relating to religion, disability or a host of other identity characteristics that may also be inappropriate workplace conduct. Usually, situations are more subtle, and employees, managers and supervisors alike must learn when such conduct crosses the line into the territory of illegal harassment.

Like pollution, inappropriate workplace conduct fouls a work environment, making it unhealthy for productive work. Our Anti-Harassment Training is one of a quartet of courses we call our Superfund. With Albion’s Anti-Harassment Training, your workplace will be able to maintain a "pollution-free" environment.

Why Offer Anti-Harassment Training?

The objectives of Albion’s Anti-Harassment course are two-fold. First, by providing this training to everyone in the workplace and documenting it, your organization creates an affirmative defense to claims that workplace conduct is inappropriate and may be determined to be harassing. In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court imposed a substantial obligation for employers to ensure a harassment-free environment. Failure to do so can result in financial loss and damage to your organization’s reputation. Albion’s thorough program shows that "reasonable care" has been taken to educate employees about appropriate workplace conduct and is a safeguard against inquiries by the OFCCP (Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs), EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) and state or local human rights agencies.

Second, a respectful, safe and comfortable workplace is more productive, allowing employees to maximize their potential. A recent survey indicates that a workplace with these qualities is the number one benefit that employees desire.

Who Should Attend?

Albion’s Anti-Harassment course is targeted to all employees, vendors, customers, volunteers, managers, supervisors and team leaders–in short, anyone who can impact your workplace. The general course is two hours in length. An extra 30-minute segment is provided for managers and supervisors.

The Basics: An Anti-Harassment Survey

This thorough workshop begins with a survey of why your company has an anti-harassment policy. In an entertaining exercise, participants discuss the effects that air pollution has on individuals and the environment. They conclude that pollution is unhealthy, unsafe, reduces life expectancy, does not allow people to enjoy life and destroys needed natural resources.

A parallel is then drawn between the effects of pollution and the similarly negative effects that inappropriate workplace conduct has on employees and others. Participants learn that your anti-harassment policy, like the laws and regulations administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is designed to promote a safe, respectful and healthy work environment, so that all individuals can maximize their potential. Participants are then guided through your company’s harassment policy with special focus on:

• The type of conduct covered by the policy
• Who is protected and subject to the policy?
• Where to report possible violations of the policy?

Next, the course clearly defines the two types of harassment, quid pro quo (demands for sexual favors by a person in authority in exchange for promotions, etc.) and hostile work environment. While quid pro quo is easily grasped, what is hostile behavior and how hostile it is can be more challenging to understand.

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