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Types of Harassment at Work and How to Stop It

It's time to protect yourself

By Pedro Perez Published 2 years ago 5 min read
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Types of Harassment at Work and How to Stop It
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

What is harassment at work? It is a serious issue that should not be taken lightly or ignored. The definition of harassment at work explains that it is any unwanted attention which has no purpose but being offensive. Bullying and harassment at work need to be stopped. It is especially vital for severe cases which threaten an employee’s life and well-being. We’ve compiled a list of the different types of harassment that could potentially happen in any workplace.

The purpose of this article is to educate you on what harassment can look like and teach how to deal with sexual harassment at work. For those who are experiencing any bullying and harassment at work, this article could be triggering, therefore we advise that you read with caution.

Verbal Harassment

Everyone cusses sometimes or says something inappropriate, maybe as a joke or just as a slip-up. However, when someone is verbally harassing you in the workplace, it’s hard to miss. This person isn’t saying anything by accident, but intentionally and consistently.

What to do in this type of situation? It will seem difficult at first, and most people would avoid confrontation and perhaps let it slip, but this will only enable abusive behavior ‒ and abusive behavior can easily make a workplace toxic.

The first thing that comes to mind is probably to change your workplace. For those who simply want to leave such a toxic work environment, it’s understandable that you want to avoid burdening more stress in your life. If this decision is final, you can turn to a resume writing service that will help you create a CV worthy of the best companies out there. You can look for a better working environment. However, fleeing from the problem right away is not always the best decision.

You can try these pointers to stop harassment:

Talk to the abuser first. If they are a reasonable person, they will understand why they’re crossing the line. Talk to them calmly and kindly. Preferably with someone else with you (a colleague that you trust/ have a solid friendship with). If they don’t change their behavior, go to the next pointers.

HR: Talk to someone in Human Resources. This is self-explanatory.

Go to court: This will be a pricier option, but if the abuse continues to the point that it’s seriously damaging an employee’s well-being, then it’s time to go to court. There are laws against discrimination and abuse. Hire a lawyer to find out how to proceed.

Remember that confronting the abuser is not recommended for heavier types of harassment. We recommend that each one of you observe the situation and act accordingly. Of course, after such a traumatic experience some require a total career change to avoid similar circumstances in the future. Some industries suffer from this issue more than others, so this may not be a bad idea. Sometimes starting from the new page will help the mind and the body. If you feel danger in the workplace, do not hold onto the job—take care of your mental health.

Physical Harassment/Workplace violence

Physical harassment means that the employees are being physically attacked or threatened. If a colleague/boss is seriously threatening your safety, it’s best to act immediately. With physical harassment, it’s easier to detect, so if the case needs to go to court, there will be evidence.

For employees who find themselves unable to show hard evidence but still want to try reporting harassment at work, it might be necessary to get video evidence yourself. We do not recommend doing this unless it is needed, and if the harassment is life-threatening.

By Elisa Ventur on Unsplash

Psychological Harassment

Psychological harassment at work will be trickier to detect, but it happens nonetheless. This attack can make an employee feel like they’re being cornered to a wall. It is a sneakier type of harassment at work examples of which can include bullying an employee in secret, threatening them verbally/physically without anyone knowing, threatening them in case they try to report harassment at work, emotional blackmail, cyberbullying, spreading rumors about the victim, and so on.

If you’re wondering “Is spreading rumors at work harassment?” It’s more sinister and calculated than that. It is mostly intended to make the victim feel alienated, which, in turn, will negatively impact every other aspect of their life at work and even outside it. This type of harassment leads to thoughts about changing careers more often than others. This is because the reasoning is often thought as not that serious to be reported.

Sexual Harassment at Work

What is sexual harassment at work? Any unwelcome and intimidating requests for sexual intimacy in workplace setting, sexual requests, or forceful advances are the examples of sexual harassment at work.

If you’re wondering how to file sexual harassment at work, remember that you need evidence. You can use your co-workers’ statements. Also, most workplaces nowadays have cameras, so if further proof of misconduct is needed, request assistance to get any tapes that show the aggressor’s behavior.

If you are not sure as to what is considered sexual harassment at work, talking to HR might be the better option. They must be able to explain to you the signs of harassment at work. They also need to be ready to teach how to file for harassment at work. To serve justice to yourself and other possible victims, you need to go to the police. Of course, this decision will be every victim’s own choice.

The question is, how to report sexual harassment at work? Sexual harassment has been recognized as a big and rampant problem across many industries. The #MeToo movement empowered many women to speak about their encounters with sexual abusers, and it’s an ongoing trend and movement.

Discriminatory Harassment

This type of harassment happens when a person is chosen as a target for bullying based on the fact that they have a different nationality, skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.

What is considered harassment at work? It can be hard to detect, but it’s not impossible. Watch out for:

Consistent and cruel ‘jokes’ about what makes the employee/victim different therefore inferior.

Rude behavior against the victim. Maybe the abuser treats them differently and it’s obvious.

You’re asking yourself, how to deal with harassment at work? There are laws against discrimination in the workplace.Those who want to see justice need to go to court. While doing so is the best way to stop an abuser and hold them accountable for their actions, what can be done if the victims aren’t willing to go to court?

Here are main steps to eliminate abusive and toxic behavior in the workplace:

  • A solid HR department;
  • The possibility to improve workplace policies;
  • A trained staff, capable of detecting and reporting abusive behavior.

Wrapping Up

We hope this article has helped recognize and define harassment at the workplace. We encourage all employees out there to always immediately report abusive behavior (be it sexual harassment or anything else) and help the victims. Unless we combine our efforts to eradicate harassment, it will stay a part of the working culture. So, be vigilant if you see any signs.

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About the Creator

Pedro Perez

Professional writer at Essay-reviews.com . I came here to share my knowledge. I hope that with my help you'll craft your perfect essay much easier.

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