Organizational culture and high office moral are essential to having a successful business with sustained growth. These healthy work environments can foster creative thinking and excellent team work that can lead to overwhelming success for everyone. But if something were to occur that threatens the healthy environment, then it needs to be addressed immediately and eradicated.
When an employee feels that they are being mistreated or harassed, whether from a peer or superior, action needs to be taken in order to stop the behavior in its tracks. Situations such as these can lead to lawsuits that can end up costing you and your business thousands of dollars that it may need for some other vital part of the daily operation. That’s why it is so important for every business owner to research and invest in an epli policy to cover any expenses or damages resulting from a harassment claim.
Wronged employees can file a claim for a variety of reasons, but the most popular of these is sexual harassment. Within this type of harassment, a multitude of different scenarios factor in. Listed below are the different types of sexual harassment that could happen at your place of business:
Power-player – Otherwise known as “quid pro quo” harassment: this occurs when someone insists on sexual favors in exchange for benefits, such as a raise or promotion. Usually this occurs between someone of power and someone of lower rank within the office.
One-of-the-Gang –This type of harassment occurs when groups of men or women embarrass other coworkers. Usually revolving around lewd comments, physical evaluations, or other unwanted sexual attention, this type of harassment can be demoralizing to the person in question.
Confidante – This is when a harasser, usually of high rank, approaches a subordinate with the guise of portraying friendship, more like equals. This gains the trust of the victim,which then leads to unwanted harassment in the future.
Great Gallant – This mostly verbal harassment involves excessive compliments and personal comments that focus on appearance and gender, and are out of place or embarrassing to the recipient.
Hopefully your business doesn’t experience any of this sort of behavior, but if it does, make sure you have the necessary epli in order to cover any legal expenses or any other costs. No firm wants to be hampered by a lawsuit that costs thousands of dollars. If your business is properly insured with epli coverage, then your company will maintain its stability even during a difficult situation.