search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
manager. With those guidelines in mind, here are some practical steps recom- mended by attorneys: Step 1: Create good policies “The number one step for protecting your business is to write pol-


- place,” says Gregg. “And don’t just bury them somewhere in your employment handbook. Communicate them in employee orientations  Step 2: Establish a reporting procedure “Designate properly trained individuals to whom complaints can be


made,” says James J. McDonald, Jr., managing partner at the Irvine,   the common mistake of requiring complainants to report incidents to supervi- sors, who may not have the requisite training or may    parties. And bear in mind that many people refrain from reporting incidents out of a fear of retaliation. So who should play the


Involve the complainant Investigate each complaint thoroughly, interviewing any third-party  appropriate. “While you don’t want the complainant to decide what action is taken, you do want to get that person’s input on whether ter- mination or a lesser remedial measure is appropriate,” says Harkins. Complainants may have any number of reactions to what they have


“Create a respectful workplace not because the law makes you do it,


role of reporting point? Larger organizations may assign properly trained individuals in the human resources department. Smaller ones may          - vices of an outside organization? “Some human resources consultants provide fractional services for smaller clients,” says McDonald. “They might, for a reasonable fee, provide an individual on site for two days   Step 3: Train your personnel The most carefully designed policies will only work if supervisors


 - ual harassment. “We all have to be educated,” says Ford. “Plenty of people make mistakes from simple ignorance. They just do not know what they are doing.” All levels of personnel need training on company policies and on the established channels for reporting incidents. And everyone needs             hesitate to take action,” says Ford. “That’s because they have always lived in an environment where saying something about the problem  Step 4: Respond quickly to complaints Take prompt action when individuals report harassment. “One of


the biggest errors employers make is not listening when people raise issues,” says Gregg. “Employers often don’t take reports seriously.”        


establish credibility in your prevention program. “People are more prone to utilize internal resources to resolve problems, if their em-   is reported,” says McDonald. “On the other hand, if an employer has  use outside attorneys to sue when harassment occurs.”


16 Facility Manager Magazine


  organization and your employees.”


 they reported it because they just wanted the organization to know about it,” says Harkins. “Sometimes they just want to have a discus- sion, or just have the person counseled. Still other times they ask that a person be terminated for making a single, unfunny joke.” If the remedial action does not satisfy the complainant, Harkins suggests involving the per- son in any new training that the company will be intro- ducing to the workplace. That can help to provide a broader base of knowledge  individual and put onto a general improvement in the environment.


Be proactive Communicate your seri- ousness about the issue by


actively monitoring your workplace for violations. “Don’t just wait for - pervisors realize they have a duty to take action when a questionable event occurs.” “Such monitoring should include behavior that might not yet be


illegal but that has the potential to escalate,” says Gregg. “When a person is nasty, surly, and engaged in behavior that is disruptive and  


a disrespect for others or creates a hostile working environment. That includes making crude comments or reinforcing gender stereotypes. A proactive stance may require a change in basic mindset. “Most supervisors are reactionary,” says Ford. “They are not accustomed to working on creating an environment where if something inappro- priate is said there is an opportunity to discuss what happened, why it is inappropriate, and then move on to improving behaviors.” Re- sult? “Things get worse because management has issued an unspoken ‘okay’ to bad behavior.”


Beware fraternization Supervisors need to understand the risks involved in blurring the line between business and personal relationships. “Managers and supervi- sors can have friendly relationships with subordinates, but they should not be friends with subordinates,” says McDonald. Failure to maintain professional distance, he says, can lead to situations that may not ap- pear initially as harassment but could result in such charges down the road.


What are some signs of danger? “The subordinate may start to feel


 hours about personal problems,” says McDonald. “Or the subordinate  money, or invite the supervisor to a social outing with a friend. These


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60