Sexual Harassment - A Workshop in Understanding and Prevention

Joan has spent several years delivering interactive workshops she co-designed with a colleague called Sexual Harassment - A Workshop in Understanding and Prevention. Sexual harassment and other violations of human dignity cost companies millions of dollars each year in lost productivity, turnover, poor morale and legal fees. These violations occur in all types of jobs, at all levels of the organization, and to both men and women. The topic is emotionally charged, awkward to discuss and hard to understand. Views about sexual harassment and other violations are tied to personal values, cultural norms and family upbringing, making it a most complicated management issue. One workshop was designed to help managers and supervisors understand and model appropriate behaviors and address inappropriate workplace behaviors to hopefully prevent such issues from going to expensive litigation. A separate workshop for employees stresses the need for assertion and helps them to develop the skills to "protect their space."