Ways to Handle a Hostile Work Environment

Are you dealing with a hostile work environment? Do you know when a situation qualify as hostile? Many people may say a strict working environment and a bad-tempered bosses create hostile work environments. But, the reality is that in order to be called as hostile, there must be certain signs in the workplace.

A situation is called hostile when the actions of others (bosses, other employees, other staff members) make it difficult for you to do your job efficiently.

Let’s have a look at one scenario of a hostile work environment.

There is a co-worker who talks loudly, chews gum and talks rudely to others. Agreed, she/he is obnoxious, but, this does not create a hostile work environment. However, if they escalate their behavior past this stage and start telling cheap jokes and sending around nude pictures of others or even refers to race, gender and religion in a derogatory manner, they are creating a hostile work environment. In other words, gender discrimination, age discrimination and sexual harassment, all these situations create a hostile work environment.

How to Handle a Hostile Work Environment?

This issue is serious and no one has to go through this when clearly there are laws in place to deal with this. If you or anyone you know is suffering from a hostile environment at work, here are some ideas to help address this issue.

1. Talk to the Person Who Offended You

When someone at work talks inappropriately to you, you need to stop them there and then. Period! There is no continuing if you stop them right there. Tell them what they just said was vulgar and they have to stop it.

2. Go to Higher Authority

Sometimes just talking to the offender is not enough. You need to report their actions to the higher authorities and the HR department. However, for you to do this, you need proper documentation with your comments and the offender’s clearly written.

3. Prompt Action Must Be Taken

Once the issue is passed on to the higher authority, a serious action must be taken against the offender. They should send a notice to the offender of their inappropriate behavior.

Examples of a Hostile Work Environment

➢ Discussion on sexual activities

➢ Telling jokes about gender, color and race

➢ Making a comment on a physical appearance

➢ Touching unnecessary

➢ Using indecent language

➢ Indecent gestures

How to Prevent a Hostile Work Environment?

➢ Create an office policy about harassment and guide new employees during orientation

➢ Give training to the new employees about a hostile work environment

➢ Personally get to know all your employees

➢ Do not be a contributor to this behavior

Any inappropriate behavior of employees must not be ignored. Serious action must be taken. No one needs to suffer in silence. If each company works on creating an office policy against harassment, these situations won’t take place. Spread the word around about the policies. Once everyone gets to know the consequences, they won’t dare to cross the barrier, and thus, a hostile work environment will be prevented. As far as training the employees is concerned, there are many courses offered such as those by eLeaP. Such training courses can be very effective to counter workplace harassment as well as the development of an unfriendly environment. http://www.eleapsoftware.com/e-learning-courses/harassment-preventing-sexual-harassment-for-managers-and-supervisors/