Individuals often don’t know what to do when they encounter an uncomfortable situation at work. As a result, they take no action. With the rise in sexual harassment claims, remaining a bystander is no longer acceptable.
A policy of “if you see something, say something ” needs to be used in these situations to ensure any harassment of this type stops immediately. To help with this, companies may wish to offer Bystander Training in California to all employees. What does this training cover and how may it be of help?
The Purpose of Bystander Training
The purpose of bystander training is to teach individuals how to recognize victims of this crime and intervene. Furthermore, the training works to show individuals how to be empathetic to those who are victimized. With the help of this program, awareness of the problem increases and attitudes improve. People become more willing to step in and stop an assault before it occurs and victims are encouraged to seek support.
Why This Is Important?
Over the years, an unwillingness on the part of individuals witnessing this behavior to speak up has led to sexual harassment being normalized. Hostile and toxic work environments have been accepted as the given and those who did want to speak up would hesitate to do so for fear of retaliation. Bystander Training in California is designed to change the culture and encourage everyone to make fair treatment a priority and speak up when necessary.
How Is It Effective?
The training works to ensure the right tone is set for the work environment. Individuals know what is acceptable and what is not and can feel free to speak up when they see something that is a violation of the policy. It is not intended to view all women as victims or all men as perpetrators but to ensure there is no confusion as to what is appropriate.
Thanks to the #metoo movement more individuals are now aware of sexual harassment and the problems it creates in a work environment. Companies want to ensure they provide a place where workers feel safe and want to come in every day. With the help of bystander training, this goal becomes easier. Contact Civilitypartners.com today to learn more about the program and how it may be of benefit to your organization. You can also follow them on Twitter for more information.
