Boca Raton workers facing sexual harassment on the job may wonder what drives their employers to engage in or permit this type of threatening or hostile conduct. Some theories hold that powerful men are prone to harass their female subordinates because they feel entitled to exercise their power over others and enjoy a narcissistic thrill, especially when the women in question are afraid to resist. However, some research indicates that one common cause of sexual harassment is the insecurity of male bosses.
While the study by researchers at Ohio State University maintains that sexual harassment at work is narcissistic behavior, it notes that perpetrators may feel less competent and secure. As a result, they may try to compensate for their personal insecurities by harassing their subordinates. While this explanation is often used to describe other types of bullying, the researchers said it also applied to sexual harassment.
The study noted that harassers are often afraid of losing their positions and so seek to keep their place through instilling fear among their staff. Researchers said that sexual harassment is used as a mechanism to keep bad bosses from being exposed for their ineffective management. The researchers advised employers to cultivate a workplace environment that rewards competence and minimizes extreme competition and gossip. The same factors that can make a workplace unhealthy or abusive for other reasons can also foster sexual harassment.
Workers may be subjected to harassment on the job from people in a wide range of positions, from top-level executives to shift supervisors and team managers. When people have faced inappropriate attention, lewd comments or other forms of sexual harassment, they can seek Boca Raton, Florida, legal advice from an employment lawyer who can outline the recourse that might be available.
