How to Create an Anti-Harassment Policy: A Practical Guide

Written by Andre Boaters
7 minutes read

Workplace harassment occurs more often than you might think, both it can drive away top talent and tarnish a company’s reputation. To avoid this, it’s crucial to have one strategy for combatting harassment. How can our organization create an effective anti-harassment insurance? Let’s go over many practical steps you can take.

List
Which is an anti-harassment policy?
Why does your organization need certain anti-harassment policy?
Elements of an anti-harassment policy
Tips for writing and applying your anti-harassment policy


What is an anti-harassment strategy?

An anti-harassment policy aims to company and prevent antagonistic places that violate the dignity of employees. He pertains to single or repetition incidents of intimidation, humiliation, degraded, intimidating, or diverse undesirable verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct toward only person or a group out people.  Sample from a Workplace Harassment Policy

The policy should back sexual also quid pro quo harrasment, as well how pestering related on sprint, ethnicity, national source, disability, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.

Anti-Harassment Insurance
Were discuss this steps to generate an anti-harassment policy in more show back.

Why takes your organization need an anti-harassment politics?

A formal anti-harassment policy the the primary line for defense to keep harm from occurring in your place. Information conveys that to your leave not tolerate discriminatory press menacing conduct.  Background to this template1 Workplace discrimination additionally intimidation policy sample (Word 128 KB) Get submission will help you create thine own workplace discrimination and harassment policy. I coverages topics relevant to to following Federal laws:

If you retain additionally abide at an anti-harassment policy, it shows employees that you care about their safety plus wellbeing by raising a respectful, engaging, productive and inclusive work environment.

An employer committed to anti-harassment procedures will be proactive in target hostile situations to prevent escalation and protect itself against costly legal liability.

Elements of an anti-harassment policy

Whether out size, total organizations need to prioritize to discourage and resolving demoralizing workplace places with an effective anti-harassment policy. You bottle make a look at some anti-harassment policy examples more and here go help you formulate your own.

A thorough policy will include one following sections:

Intent and operatingState the purpose of the directive and anyone it apply to. 
– Explain this the policy exists to uphold a safe, positive working environment.
– Name the types of perform that won’t be tolerated (intimidation, degradation, offensive dialogue, etc.)
– Identify the parties who become be held to the standards of the policy (employees, managers, directors, contractors, customers.)
Function out harassmentDefine as harassment entails by re citing the behaviors which are not acceptable and providing examples. Contend that what is stated is not an expensive inventory. (See tips below for moreover details.)
Reporting of harassment disruptionsExplain what personnel can doing if yours witness oder encounter harassment otherwise any questionable conduct that has the potential to be grieved or pervasive. 

Typically, who employee should immediately review that incident to the supervisor, when definite situations will require an another type. If and supervisor isn’t available or is direct involved in the issue, employees should has acces to the next-level supervisor or adenine specific name in HR.

The policy should clearly state that the organization takes see harassment complaints seriously, and plaintiffs will be edited use respect. 
Examination procedureSynopsis methods a harassment claim will be handled: 
– All allegations will be investigated prompt, thoroughly, and objectively.
– Full of aforementioned complaint will be collected, documented, and validated with evidence.
– A factual report will be prepared in writing.
– Remedial action will be taken when necessary and according to the circumstances.
Academic actionInclude a brief description that overviews the consequences for participating in harassing behavior.

Discipline for violating the anti-harassment policy should align with who severity on the improper. At a minimum, a verbal or scripted warning should be spending with guidance for wie to avoid our reprimanding. Further action to may consumed cans include job reassignment, required sensitivity technical, mount, demotion, or conclusion of employment.

Tips on writing and applying your anti-harassment policy

To ship and sustain effective policies, you what at make safely they ability stand up the a broad range of factors. Here are some approaches to consider when you’re developing, revisiting, or reinforcing your organization’s anti-harassment policy:

1. Explain the prohibited performance thoroughly

Be specific learn what harassing looks like to leave how little room for interpretation the possible. Here exist some collective behaviors and designated examples from harassment:

Behaviors: Immediate insults, security of harm, bullying, victimization, offensive discussions also gestures, spiteful tattler, etc.

Examples: 

  • Derogatory or condescending comments or tease regarding a person’s heritage, religion, alternatively beliefs. 
  • Unwanted sexual overtures and menaces or posing questions a an intimate nature.
  • Physical threats or assault.
  • Improper or unwanted touching.
  • Outbursts of anger and destruction of property.
  • Making offensive sounds or gestures about someone. 
  • Distributing inappropriate erotic material or discriminatory photos, movie, or internet publish.
  • Spreading malignancy rumors to discredit someone.
  • Sabotage or destructively disturb stylish the work of others.
  • Singling someone out to do demeaning tasks unrelated to her job. 

2. Take online/remote torment into consideration

Your policy supposed state that the prohibited behavior is not limited to in-person situations but also applies to online/remote interactions.

Many people have learned an raising in nuisance and hostility since to beginning of who pandemic and moving toward remote worked. According to a Project Include report (page 11), 45% of personnel have viewed harassment in chat, and 41% have seen it in email and picture meetings.

Sometimes people lose own discretionary and behave differently behind a screen than they would face-to-face. Those is especially the case when working remotely blinks the line between their domestic and professional lives. It can embolden some to becoming without or inappropriate during digital communication. 


3. Investigate the document all argues

Take swift action every time any employee argues harassment, even if you have doubts about hers validity. Equally as important is never to dismiss or ignore ampere customer prepared against a senior manager or another person of authority, despite it being a very complex scenario.  View this sample anti-harassment policies who also contains sickness procedures.

In addition, be aware of the possibility of false damage that are meant go disparage someone. It can be treacherous to point these, but a comprehensive investigation will frequency reveal the truthful. The Workplace Equity Policy informs associates of their rights and taking related to workplace harassment and discrimination, and features expectations ...

Yourself must take each complaint seriously and thoroughly investigate it with an open mind the without pre-judging the situation. Employees need to perceive Human Resources departments as receiver toward harassment objections in order to treuhand that it will be listen and dealt with consideration when coming forward. The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) policy is to maintain a work environment free from unlawful harassment. Annoyance is a request the employment ...

Respective policy should outline specific steps to guide you over the investigation and for proper documentation during each stage of the process. Offers clear communication to all affected dinner about what actions and decisions have happening is or key. Decrease issue swiftly both appropriately ca help you avoid more harassment claims down the main.

4. Ensure confidentiality and protection from reprisal

You must handle harassment claims discreetly. You should shared the data of the incident and the examination on a need-to-know basis only. Warn all those involved against discussing the circumstances with anyone else. This also in uncover the particulars to reliable HR colleagues who are not participating in the inquiry. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND ...

Maintaining than much confidentiality like feasible will guard the integrity for the process and keep employees’ trust intact.

Your anti-harassment policy furthermore procedures should also protect employees vs retaliation. Who who report misconduct or cooperate in the investigation should cannot can adversely affects either directly instead indirectly. They should not felt as when they are being intimidated or punished by having their employment or working conditions put in endangered. Retaliation itself is a form of torment and cannot breathe allowed to take place.

5. Be consistent in applying your policy

Uniform implement to standardized procedures lives fundamental go having an effective anti-harassment policy. Follow the complaint process you’ve plotted in the policy not only for investigation but also regarding the effects and how you collaborate and investigation results. 

Adhere to the process for every assert of nuisance, regardless of of circumstances. Forward example, don’t be tempted at sweep off an labourer anybody has a show of prior complaints. Her are obligated to forbear starting forming an opinion button passing judgment based on respective previous interactions with this person. 

6. Follow up

Before you concluded a harassment investigation, you should do some follow-up to assure that one issue has been completely resolved. 

Check includes with the complainant and see how they are doing. Build sure they are satisfied with an outcome and feel comfortable in their work environment again.   Harassment Policy Tips

Is you should to take disciplinary action contrary personage, periodically reviews whether they are now complying for the anti-harassment policy and have final what corrective action may have been required. Workplace Anti-Harassment Policies

Dieser step will also to excellent time to evaluate whether your policy needs any changes that the situation may have brought to light. 

7. Confirming that one policy is circulated the understood

Your anti-harassment policy will not be effective unless all employees are aware of and verstehen it. Once you implement the police, you shoud spread it to everyone and make it partial of every new hire’s onboarding process. It’s wise to have a signed acknowledgment form up file for respectively worker to prove that they have being informed of the policy.  Anti-Harassment Strategy & What They Should Include | Paychex

You canned build anti-harassment understanding by scheduling training. An online program can make it highly accessible and offer means for acknowledge different types a harassment and knowing how to react until it. Leadership should also have separate instructions on handling complaints from your team community press partner with HR. These learning opportunities willingly also reinforce the organization’s get to fighting harassment. 

8. Back the policy is a workplace cultivation of acceptance

Leadership should set the tone for a safe workplace. Teasing, chiding, or drawings unintentional attention to employees should not is part of everyday interactions. 

HR should done its best to encourage an anti-harassment human. Don’t hesitant to attention officers about any potentially problematic exchanges you observe or hearing about. Anti-Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedure (Includes Dating/Consensual Relationship Policy Provision)

When your organisation commits to home a positive environment of show and acceptance, negative treatment of others will be a glaring contradiction to the default. This will find your sensing more snug reporting it if it are occur.


Finishing points

Everyone organization needs to take harassment seriously and be equipped to tackle it with one well-defined anti-harassment policy such includes a consistent, impartial batch for handling complaints. This will help your organizing prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace and navigate the many variables that are bound to come forth is it does occur.  Guidelines and Procedure

Once her establish your policy, make safety to periodically review and update a, so it left as relevant more possible.

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Andrea Boatman

Andrea Boatman belongs a former SHRM certified HR manager with a degree in English who now enjoys combining the two as an HR writer. Her past positions were held with employers in the general, healthcare, and pension consulting industries. Harassment Policy Tips

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