Harassment at work is a serious issue. Harassment at work can create a culture of fear, cause colleagues to suffer mentally or physically, and may even lead to absence, dismissal, or legal action. In this article, we explain what harassment at work is, how to recognize it, and what to do if you experience it.
What is harassment?
It’s hard to give a clear-cut answer to what exactly harassment is. It refers to any behavior that crosses someone’s personal boundaries, which can differ from person to person. The Dutch Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) provides the following examples of inappropriate behavior in the workplace:
- Bullying: excluding someone, gossiping, or constantly criticizing them.
- (Sexual) harassment: making comments about someone’s appearance, sexual innuendos, or inappropriate sexual jokes.
- Discrimination: treating someone differently, or excluding them, based on personal characteristics such as ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, age, or religion.
- Aggression and violence: including swearing or using aggressive language.
These examples of harassment cause people to feel unsafe, uncomfortable, and disrespected at work.
How to recognise harassment at work?
Harassment at work is not always easy to spot. Sometimes the signs are subtle, or people may think it’s just “part of the job”. Harassment often involves deliberate or unconscious offensive, derogatory, or hostile comments about people based on their personal characteristics. These comments can be so commonplace that they might go unnoticed. However, the impact can be significant. For example:
- Someone who is usually cheerful suddenly becomes quiet and withdrawn.
- Avoiding and preferring not to work with a specific colleague.
- Stress symptoms: headaches, sleep problems, or concentration issues can be signs that someone is affected by harassment.
- If you notice that you can’t be yourself or if you dread going to work, that can also be an important signal.
What to do if you experience harassment at work?
It’s important not to ignore harassment at work if you notice it happening. Here are some steps you can take:
Talk about it: It can be very difficult, but try to address the behavior. Sometimes the other person may not be aware of their actions, and a conversation can resolve a lot.
Document the behavior: Record what happened, when, and who was involved. This can be important if you decide to take formal steps, such as filing a complaint.
Report it: If talking about it doesn’t help or if you’re uncomfortable doing so, report it to your supervisor or HR department. Many companies also have a designated trust person you can turn to. Note: a trust person provides support, advice, and guidance, but does not handle formal reports.
Seek support: Talk to those around you about what’s happening. They can offer a listening ear and support you in taking further action.
How to prevent harassment at work?
Until recently, companies only took action after a serious problem occurred. However, prevention is always better than cure. Companies can do a lot to prevent harassment at work from happening in the first place:
- Policies and Regulations: Ensure there are clear guidelines about what is and isn’t acceptable in the workplace. Everyone should understand these boundaries.
- Training and Awareness: Regularly organize meetings or offer training on inappropriate behavior to help employees recognise their own actions and those of others.
- Safe Working Environment: Foster an open and safe atmosphere where people feel comfortable speaking up and treating each other with respect, including at the management level.
Want to learn more about how to prevent inappropriate behavior at work? Soon, we’ll be sharing 10 tips for a safe workplace. So, stay tuned!
In the meantime, have a look at the services we offer to create safe workplaces.
