1. Promoting a Harassment-Free Workplace
It’s All About Respect
Promoting a Harassment-Free Workplace

2. Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
In personal and family relationships, in schools and at work, interactions among people are often fraught with disagreements.
In workplaces, despite our best efforts, we often become involved in ongoing interpersonal disputes. These disagreements may involve conflicts with supervisors or, most commonly, among co-workers.
To help make our daily work life more enjoyable, it is important for all of us to understand what causes interpersonal conflicts, how to resolve them, and how to prevent them from escalating into bullying or actionable harassment. 2 2

3. Workplace Interpersonal Conflicts
Interpersonal conflicts that occur in the workplace are struggles between at least two individuals who perceive interference, lack of cooperation or lack of respect from one more other co-workers.
These conflicts may take the following forms:
Publicly faulting the performance of a co-worker.
Constant bickering between two employees.
Coolness or an avoidance whenever possible between employees.
Verbally abusing or making demeaning remarks to a co-worker.
An important aspect of this definition is that employees may only perceive there is a conflict when, in reality, none exists. 3 3

4. Causes of Interpersonal Conflicts
Some of the causes of interpersonal conflicts include:
Differences and diversity among employees, potentially leading to misunderstandings based on age, race or culture, prejudices, intolerances, rumors about an individual or group;
Excessive and uncontrolled competition between employees, comparison of performance ratings and bonuses, perceived inequities, fear of not receiving a promotion or losing a job;
Internal conflicts such as bigotry, tendency to hold grudges, false pride, blaming others for one’s own problems;
Romantic personal relationships or sexual tensions;
Drug- or alcohol-related behavior; and
LACK OF COMMUNICATION!
What are some potential causes of interpersonal conflict in the workplace? 4 4

5. Workplace Bullying and Violence
What happens when these interpersonal conflicts go unchecked?
Workplace Bullying – offensive behavior that is systematic, repeated and involves mistreatment of another at work. Bullying may include:
Pubic criticism;
Insults;
Intimidation;
Shouting at others; or
Teasing and spreading malicious rumors.
Workplace bullying, while it almost always causes some amount of psychological harm to the victim, does not necessarily involve physical violence. It can, however, lead to physical violence if not addressed.
In terms of prevalence, workplace bullying is certainly not uncommon. A study conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute reported that 37% of workers in the US have been bullied at work. Do you think this percentage is high or low?
Workplace Violence– violent acts (including physical assaults and threats of assaults) directed towards persons at work or on duty
Workplace violence does not have to result in injury or actual assault – just the threat of assault is considered violence. 5 5

6. Workplace Harassment & Discrimination
What happens when these interpersonal conflicts are based on a protected class and continue to go unchecked?
Workplace Harassment
Unwelcome conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment or interferes with an individual’s work performance.
Harassment is a form of illegal discrimination when based on an individual’s protected characteristics, such as race, color, sex, religion, national origin , disability or age. 6 6

7. Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, pregnancy and age. State law also adds protection on the basis of the marital status.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Americans with Disabilities Act
Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Pregnancy Discrimination Act
Florida Civil Rights Act

8. Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy
Commits to a work environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity;
Firmly prohibits workplace discrimination and harassment;
Strongly encourages employees to report unwelcome conduct and prevent harassment;
Prohibits retaliation for making a complaint or participating in an investigation; and
Assures there will be a prompt response to complaints.

9. Unwelcome
Recipient’s Viewpoint: The conduct must be unwelcome to the recipient.
The victim does NOT have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
Behavior of the accuser may be considered.

10. Intent versus Impact Reasonable Person
Generally, intent is not relevant in determining whether behavior is harassment. All that matters is the impact of the behavior on the work environment.
Claiming, “I didn’t mean anything by it – it was just a joke,” is NOT a valid defense of harassing behavior.
Teasing and sarcasm are risky forms of humor to practice in the workplace.
Reasonable Person
Title VII does not serve “as a vehicle for vindicating the petty slight suffered by the hypersensitive.”
Did the victim feel the environment was hostile and offensive?
Would a reasonable person in similar circumstances and with similar protected characteristics concur in that view?

11. Physical Harassment Verbal Harassment Unwelcome sexual advances.
Massaging a person’s neck, shoulders, etc.
Unnecessary touching or brushing up against another’s body, clothing, or hair.
Attempted or actual hugging, kissing, fondling or stroking.
Threatening or using physical violence.
Verbal Harassment
Unwelcome sexual propositions or demands for sexual favors in exchange for favorable treatment or continued employment.
Threats, intimidation or bullying.
Graphic or verbal commentary about an individual’s body, sexual prowess or sexual deficiencies.
Calling a person a hunk, doll, babe, honey or derogatory racial or ethnic term.
Unwelcome pressure for dates.
Repeated sexual, religious, racial, age or ethnic jokes.
Making kissing sounds, howling, smacking lips or whistling.

12. Non-Verbal Harassment
Staring inappropriately at someone’s body parts or staring in a threatening manner.
Blocking a person’s path or restricting or hindering the other person’s movement.
Displaying in the workplace objects, pictures, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, or clothing that are sexually suggestive, racially or religiously intolerant, or age or disability insensitive.
Suggestive, insulting, obscene, or demeaning gestures.
Creating or forwarding s that may be offensive, involving race, age, disability, religion, sex or ethnicity.
You’ll notice that many of these behaviors – whether physical, verbal or non-verbal – comprise the same actions that can be classified as workplace bullying or violence. It is when these actions are taken based on an individual’s protected class that they can also possibly be classified as harassment … if they are unwelcome, severe or pervasive and offensive to a reasonable person. But we also want to create a positive working environment – one in which every employee feels comfortable and is able to perform to their highest potential. So, whether the conduct is based on one of the protected classes – and could be classified as “harassment” – or whether it is not based on a protective class but is rather insensitive or bullying and is negatively impacting the work environment, we want to put a stop to it and to prevent it from occurring again. So, we need to know about it – as we’ve said, if we don’t know about it, we can’t fix it.

13. Workplace Bullying and Harassment
Whom do I tell?
If you feel comfortable, start with the harasser – let them know his/her actions are not welcome.
Your Manager/Supervisor
Any other Manager/Supervisor
Human Resources Representative
So, let’s look at what you should do if you experience – or witness – behavior – whether physical, verbal or non-verbal – that is inappropriate in the workplace. Whom do you tell?

14. Confidentiality Retaliation
All complaints will be kept as confidential as possible. Information will be communicated on a need-to-know basis.
Accuser
Alleged Harasser
Any Witnesses
Management
Retaliation
Employees making a complaint or participating in an investigation are protected from any type of retaliation.
Transfer
Demotion
Termination
Poor Performance Evaluations

15. How YOU Can Help Prevent Workplace Bullying and Harassment
Read and understand anti-harassment policies and procedures.
Speak up in support of a respectful workplace. Speak out against inappropriate conduct, whether illegal harassment or merely rude and insensitive behavior.
Report incidents immediately.
Cooperate with harassment investigations.
Monitor own behavior – act professionally and treat others with courtesy and respect.

16. How YOU Can Help Prevent Workplace Bullying and Harassment
It’s All About Respect
RESPECT goes a long way in preventing and understanding conflicts.
Part of being respectful of our fellow employees involves understanding that we are not all alike. Everyone has prejudices – but they should not be allowed to create conflicts at work.
It is EVERYONE’s responsibility to show respect for others’ differences.
What you find entertaining or funny may not be to others.
Remember the Golden Rule!

17. It’s All About Respect
Reevaluate your thinking – unlearn old habits and prejudices Entertain new ideas – be open to the viewpoints of others Show respect to get respect Perform at your highest standard – and focus on the goals rather than the individuals Educate yourself and THINK before you speak Curb negativity and find out how positivity breeds positivity Treat others the way you would like to be treated
Often referred to as the “Golden Rule”, “T” reminds us to: Treat others the way you would like to be treated
Similar to showing respect to get respect, “T” is the point on which every interaction hinges – whether at work with co-workers and customers or at home with family and friends, we should ALL strive to only treat other people in the ways we wish others to treat us. If everyone would follow this one simple rule, life in general would be so much easier!

18. Summary
Barn Light Electric prohibits all forms of bullying, violence and harassment, and offenders will be disciplined.
Employees must follow the Company’s complaint procedures and have an affirmative responsibility to report harassment. We can’t correct what we don’t know about!
Employees will not be retaliated against for reporting harassment or assisting in an investigation.
Complaints and investigations will be kept as confidential as possible.
It’s all about RESPECT.