UNDERSTANDING AND DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

Argues that sexual harassment is no longer just a personal matter,as the increase in lawsuits against firms in the USA shows; employers have an obligation to provide a safe environment, or they will suffer the consequences, whether they are aware of the harassment or not. Recommends that employers should first gain a clear understanding of the definition of sexual harassment, of its forms and origins, of who is most commonly harassed and who the harassers are, before going on to why it occurs, and how to handle it. Further suggests that employers design a strong policy against sexual harassment, communicate it to all employees, and train employees – workers must realize that their own views and values are not those of their co‐workers and that they must respect one another.