Awareness about sexual harassment has gone up significantly since 2016. In the same year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a report showing that workplace training designed to reduce sexual harassment may actually do more harm than good. As a result, companies in Florida and other states are rethinking the substance of their anti-sexual harassment training programs.
There are many factors that contribute to the failure of these programs. One of the biggest problems may be the basic design of training, which focuses on meeting regulatory requirements rather than promoting behavioral change. Changing behavior in the workplace so that sexual harassment isn’t tolerated requires much greater effort than what is minimally required by the federal government.
Research from the EEOC suggests that anti-harassment training that’s conducted live and in person is the most effective. Unfortunately, main companies can’t afford this type of program, so they turn to virtual solutions. While receiving training through the phone or Internet can be effective, users are more prone to losing focus and multitasking. Making sure virtual sessions are highly interactive with required testing may help alleviate this problem. A wide range of tactics will be required to make training more effective overall.
Victims of workplace sexual misconduct have rights and may benefit from legal assistance. These types of cases can be very sensitive and complex, especially when an employer is a powerful corporation. An attorney can help their client through every step of the process whether they want to negotiate a settlement or file a lawsuit in court. Lawyers are responsible for staying up to date on all state and federal regulations affecting sexual harassment in the workplace.
