Workplace Harassment Training:
The Real Deal (CON)
Workplace Harassment Training: The Real Deal (CON) - Online Course
Harassment & Retaliation Prevention for Employees and Supervisors (US) – Construction is an online course that follows the “edutainment” format, covering the types of unlawful harassment and retaliation. The course uses simple and practical explanations, combined with live-action examples by professional actors. This course meets the harassment prevention training requirements for employees and supervisors, except in cases where state laws require 2 hours of training for supervisors.
The Importance of Preventing Workplace Harassment
Organizations are aware of their responsibility to protect employees from injury and occupational illness. However, mental health is often overlooked, and harassment can bring serious consequences if left unchecked.
- Harassment not only affects the victim but also witnesses who are offended by the behavior. Employees may decide to leave a company due to harassment.
- There can be legal consequences such as lawsuits and fines, not only for the person responsible but also for the company.
- Depending on local laws, a company may also face legal action for harassment by clients and external providers.
Workplace harassment can be described as any actions or words that cause discomfort, due to their hostile or offensive nature. Some of the main types of harassment are discrimination, bullying, violence, abuse of power, and sexual harassment. Harassment not only affects the target but also other employees who are offended or intimidated.
The extent of workplace harassment is often underestimated, and there have been several studies about the topic. The following are two examples:
- PwC conducted a survey with more than 25,000 women, and 52% have suffered harassment and bullying in work environments.
- The UK Trades Union Congress found that 80% of harassment victims never report it.
Harassment is defined based on its impact, and not its intention. For example, an inappropriate comment that offends an employee is considered harassment, even if the person responsible thought it was harmless humor.
How Organizations Can Prevent Workplace Harassment
Organizations should implement a strict policy against harassment, complemented with legal advice. All members of the company should receive harassment prevention training, and managers should receive specialized training that considers their position of authority. Preventing harassment is easier when employees are aware of the types of behavior that are unacceptable.
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has proposed five main principles to prevent workplace harassment:
- Leadership
- Accountability
- Written policy
- Compliant systems
- Training programs
This course can help companies create an environment of respect. This contributes to the wellbeing of employees, reducing turnover while improving motivation and productivity. In addition to being unlawful, harassment has a severe negative impact on the work environment and productivity.
Course Topics
This Workplace Harassment Prevention course covers the following topics:
- Harassment types: verbal, visual, physical, quid pro quo, hostile environments, etc.
- Retaliation
- Discrimination
- Federal and state laws
- Federal protected classes
- Consequences of harassment and discrimination
- Responsibilities and liabilities of supervisors:
- Knew or should have known
- Immediate and appropriate action
- Confidentiality
- Complaint process for employees
- Bystander reporting
- Understanding the difference between intent and impact
- What is the reasonable person standard?
- Favoritism and workplace romance
- Consenting vs welcoming
- Intimidation and abuse of power
- Harassment by third parties (contractors, clients, vendors, etc.)
- Work-related activities offsite
- Cross-cultural conflicts
- Gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation
- Violence potential
- Social media and technology
- Workplace bullying
- The importance of documentation
- Personal liability
I-CAB Approved
This content developer is recognized by the International Competency Assessment Board (I-CAB) for its expertise in this subject matter and is listed as a competency development resource for I-CAB assessment participants.
Universally Compatible
This course was created using standards that will allow playback on most internet capable devices with standard web browsing capabilities including Apple’s iTouch, iPad, and iPhone, as well as most other smart phones and tablets including those with Android and Windows operating systems.
