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Workplace harassment is becoming way too common in this day and age, with most victims being women. But the truth is, it shouldn’t be a part of anyone’s work life. Unfortunately, most victims endure the pain in silence because they either don’t know what to do or because they just feel helpless.
Whether you’ve been a victim of workplace harassment or not, you need to understand what actions come under harassment and what to do whenever you become the object of such actions.
What exactly is workplace harassment?
There have been more-than-countable instances of people being wrongly accused of harassment. This is because many people don’t understand what harassment is.
Harassment refers to deliberate and repeated behavior directed at you that is intended to ridicule, embarrass, or otherwise undermine your performance. Workplace harassment can come from supervisors, management personnel, and even colleagues. And it can be sexual or non-sexual.
To be sure whether you’re really being harassed or not, here are some signs to look for:
- Name-calling and spreading of negative rumors
- Humiliating or embarrassing remarks and gestures
- Shouting, especially in the presence of colleagues and customers
- Deliberate work overload
- Excessive monitoring, criticizing, and fault-finding
- Deliberate withholding of information required to perform a job efficiently
- Denial of work benefits and promotion
- Use of language that is inappropriate for the workplace
- Constant threats
- Deliberate set-ups for failure
If any of these are happening to you at work, then you’re a victim of workplace harassment. And this can kill your confidence and affect your overall performance at work if you don’t rise up to the situation.
What to do when you’re being harassed at work
Once you’ve established that you’re being harassed at work, deal with the situation using these recommended tips:
- Keep a detailed record of everything that happened. Include the date, the exact actions, and names of those present (if any).
- Compile the names your colleagues who have witnessed instances where you were harassed. Needless to say, those are your witnesses.
- Talk to your harasser frankly that their behavior isn’t acceptable. You can also threaten to report them to the management or file a lawsuit. If you can’t face them directly, send them a text message or email.
- Report to your supervisor or the human resources manager. They should be able to provide expert advice on what actions you need to take based on the company’s harassment or discrimination policies.
- Contact the senior management and file a complaint if your supervisor or HR manager refuses to take action. Be sure to provide evidence to support your complaints.
- File a lawsuit if the senior management refuses to take action. Be sure to involve a harassment lawyer who understands your state’s laws. For example, if you’re in New Jersey, approach a New Jersey harassment lawyer who has handled several harassment cases in the state.
- Start finding another job—if you think quitting the job is the only way to move forward and be happy. Most of the time, this is the best decision.
Failing to deal with workplace harassment when you’re a victim can make your life more miserable than you ever imagined. So, arm yourself with the information on this page, and implement it whenever the need arises. No one has the right to harass you!