It may be terrible to admit, but sexual harassment is indeed common in the workplace.
People usually have the impression that it only comes in the form of physical or verbal advances, but there is a lot more to it than that. Sexual harassment is described as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature”, with three important factors.
Advances are seen as sexual harassment when they are made explicitly or implicitly, created due to rejection by an individual, or when it creates a hostile environment for an employee. It is important, however, to note that sexual harassment isn’t specified according to gender. It happens to men as well.
Chaze Nalisa, author and co-founder of V and O Consulting which focuses on human resources under its other pillars, has years of experience in the field and shared some advice on sexual harassment. “People can make advances at someone, but it might also be misinterpreted,” she said. “But sexual harassment comes in many forms and one of them could be something as simple as people making obscene jokes and someone could get offended by this. For example, if women were in a workplace full of men, they could feel uncomfortable when men are making certain jokes,” she said. Other forms could include someone touching you.
But what should you do when this happens to you in the workplace? “Report it,” Nalisa advised. “As long as the report is made, then an investigation will happen. There’s a standard process based on the labour law when it comes to sexual harassment. But certain companies customise it. You need to report it to the manager, but if it is the manager who is harassing you, then you report it to the next person in charge.”
She further said that investigations are done and afterwards, disciplinary clearings take place. “Usually they involve the harasser, the harassed and a neutral party.” In cases when the harassed cannot prove this, there are certain ways that managers use to find some. “Even cameras can act as proof,” she further said. “It can be difficult, but there is always a way. For example, some people can be quite flirtatious. There are people who have a history of being flirtatious and managers can use this information against them.”
Men may have a history being perpetrators of sexual harassment, but women are also guilty of this. “Some women provoke men or do things inappropriately. They could be flirting with their male colleagues or dress a certain way, even if the policies say that they should not. There are probably other women who also feel uncomfortable because of this,” Nalisa further noted. And this is an instant where blackmail or something of the sort can come into play, because people are eager to climb the corporate ladder.
Experiencing sexual harassment can reflect on the employee’s work and mood when they’re at the office. “What companies can do is have an induction of the whole HR policy from leave to sexual harassment,” Nalisa said. “Some places have specific inductions for managers, but there are also employees who need this to know their rights, including existing employees.
They should also be educated about their rights.” Internal wellness programmes are also a great start for companies to inform their employees about these procedures.
And the rules are plenty. According to the law in Namibia, “any unwarranted conduct of a sexual nature towards an employee which constitutes a barrier to equality in employment where the victim has made it known to the perpetrator that he or she finds the conduct offensive” or the case where the perpetrator should have known that his/her behaviour is unacceptable constititutes as sexual harrassment. In an instant where someone resigns because they were guilty of sexual harassment, the resignation will constitute as “a constructive dismissal”.
Remember to familiarise yourself with the company’s policies and know your rights in the workplace.
