Want to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace? Tackle gender based discrimination

Sexual harassment within the workplace has been all over the news recently. It seems like new cases of high profile men being accused and held accountable appear daily. I applaud the courage of victims to come forward. I am thankful that institutions are finally holding some of the perpetrators accountable. Workplace sexual harassment is, not about the individual event, but is a symptom of a much more deeply entrenched concern. Our workplaces and society at large tends to value white men more than women and people of color. The stories unfolding publicly in recent months highlight not only the horrific actions of certain individuals, but also the workplace environments that have allowed sexual harassment to become a normal part of so many women’s working lives. The men who are committing atrocities against women, could not have gotten into their positions of power if the organizations they work for were not complicit. Workplaces that discriminate against women provide fertile ground for sexual harassment to be tolerated. All people, especially those who have long been treated differently because of their gender, their race, their sexuality, or some other aspect of their identity, should feel welcome and safe in their workplaces. All forms of gender based discrimination in the workplace need to be rooted out if you want to choke the weeds of sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment is but one of many negative outcomes that come from workplaces that place a higher value on men over women. How do you know if your workplace values men more than women? Look at multiple outcomes by gender. Retention rates, hiring rates, pay gaps, and promotions can highlight areas that your organization treats men and women differently. Add race into the mix and the disparities often get wider. A disparity between men and women in your statistics often indicates deeper organizational issues that must be addressed, such as gender-based discrimination within your policies, practices, and culture. The pay gap between men and women in Hollywood has been much publicized. How many female producers are there in Hollywood? Gender equity in these areas can greatly benefit most companies by lowering hiring and training costs and allowing greater innovation and higher productivity. Workplaces that do not include the perspectives of women and people of color at all levels miss out on many chances for innovation, customer expansion, and often become stagnant. Sexual harassment is less likely to occur in an organization that does not discriminate against women.

Gender based discrimination not only impacts women, but also hurts men. Organizations that perpetuate gender-based discrimination often foster an environment that supports rigid ideas of gender. This does not allow for men or women to bring their whole selves to work, not to mention what it does to people who do not fit into the gender binary at all. Men working in traditionally female fields like nursing, teaching, or as assistants are often chastised for their choice of profession. One female friend who works in the private sector shared an example:

My previous company wouldn’t hire a male for a front desk role. I found several candidates over the years that were eager and qualified that weren't even brought in for further interviews because "they didn’t feel comfortable asking a male to fetch coffee or plan company parties" 

Organizations look over talented individuals because they cannot see past these strict ideas of gender roles.

While men frequently benefit from the unearned privileges, discrimination against women at work costs men as well. Another female friend who works in the social service sector shared a story with me:

I was working in a program and my male partner at the time was interning in a separate program [for the same organization]. The offices were attached by a door that we generally kept open. I had a disagreement with a male coworker. He became frustrated or angry with me. He literally picked me up and threw me over his shoulder fireman style. He walked me through the offices while I protested. He plopped me down in front of my partner and said "control your woman". We were both humiliated in front of our coworkers. This man was also much much larger than my partner. So I was angry and embarrassed but my partner was completely incapable of intervening due to various power dynamics.

Challenging the inappropriate behavior at work can be risky both physically and professionally for both men and women in the workplace. If discriminatory behavior goes unchecked, it creates an environment where sexual harassment in many forms can thrive.

To address sexual harassment in the workplace, organizations must first address the structures that have allowed it to thrive. You cannot prevent sexual harassment through one training session or, even worse, one video. Delve into your policies, procedures, statistics, and workplace environment. Sexual harassment cannot thrive where men and women are treated equitably. Organizations must set clear expectations through words and actions, policies and procedures, that discrimination will not be tolerated.

If you are ready to tackle gender based discrimination, contact me and we can get started on this journey together.

Female Staffers or the Men in Charge: Who should champion an end to workplace discrimination?

I was very interested to read several articles discussing strategies that Obama’s female staffers have used to achieve greater gender parity in the White House. Women at the highest levels experience similar discrimination. In the original September 13, 2016 article in The Washington Post, Juliet Eilperin discusses how women working in the Obama White House worked together to make sure their ideas were fairly considered and accurately credited.

…female staffers adopted a meeting strategy they called “amplification”: when a woman made a key point, other women would repeat it, giving credit to its author. This forced the men in the room to recognize the contribution — and denied them the chance to claim the idea as their own. (Eilperin 2016)

I love to hear about women coming together and intentionally supporting one another to create a more inclusive environment. My career has been built on the support and mentorship of strong women.

While this type of article highlights women’s empowerment, it also points to the pervasive discrimination that traditionally marginalized groups experience in the workplace every day. An organization’s leadership and culture often discourage women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups from meaningfully participating in important professional spaces by not allowing them the same time to speak as those in power, who are frequently white men, or by not giving them credit for their own ideas. As part of an interactive “think tank” event that I co-facilitated for a wide range of organization development professionals, I gave participants the following scenario as an option for discussion:

A CEO brings you in to observe a strategic planning meeting involving several employees from different departments. You witness the CEO interrupting one of the female employees as she is finishing her thought. The CEO says “okay” to her and asks the group for additional ideas. After a few other ideas are shared, a male member of the group repeats the idea that his female colleague has shared previously. The CEO tells him that it is a great idea. As the meeting progresses, you notice female participants are routinely interrupted and the CEO is more likely to engage with ideas presented by male participants.

In the debrief of the small group discussions I asked how many people had experienced or witnessed the same situation and almost everyone raised their hands. This type of discriminatory practice is widespread. I have repeatedly experienced and witnessed this kind of exclusion at the hands of self-proclaimed progressive and liberal men. I have both been shut down myself and have spoken up for others to give credit back to the woman whose idea was co-opted.

While mutual support is crucial to create a more inclusive environment, as a strategy it has limitations. First, it can only work when there are multiple people who identify with the same identity profile and who are willing to support each other. What happens when you are the only woman or the only person of color in the room? In those situations, allies can be especially helpful, although those allies need to be especially clear who first came up with the idea so as not to co-opt credit.

Secondly, it places the responsibility for addressing widespread discrimination on the backs of those who are being discriminated against. All too often we rely on women to end sexism and people of color to stand up against racism when the responsibility for change should be on the organization and those perpetuating discriminatory practices. While I always encourage her to support and be kind to other children, when my toddler tells me that another child pushed her down, I do not ask her if one of her classmates stepped up to support her, but rather if her teacher helped her. In that situation, the teacher is responsible for creating a culture of kindness. In order for it to be effective in the long run, an organization’s leadership is responsible for setting the organization’s culture. A mutual support strategy should be just one part of a larger organizational commitment and intentional strategy to move towards equity.

The discrimination that is perpetuated through a subtle dismissal or co-opting of an idea is unlikely to be recognized as an act of oppression or a violation of employment law, and yet, these seemingly small actions contribute to a larger culture of inequity. Workplace discrimination comes in many shades and this is just one. To combat the culture of discrimination, organizations can develop and implement a comprehensive and intentional strategy that holds the organization and its employees accountable. These efforts must be inclusive of everyone in the organization and be championed at the highest level.

I applaud and encourage professionals to find support and comfort in their shared experiences. Be on the lookout for others who do not have that type of support and look for the opportunity to be an ally.

Is your organization interested in addressing a lack of diversity and inclusion? Need a place to start? Give me a call!