Nor should you say, "That's horrible!," which also implies you've drawn a conclusion. Then: "That's a very serious allegation, and I want you to know that we take that very seriously."Īvoid characterizations like, "That doesn't sound like Jane …" or "he didn't mean that," which make it sound like you're predisposed toward the accused. "The first thing you should say is 'Thank you for bringing your concerns to me,' " Segal said. When workers tell you they have experienced harassing behavior. "Sometimes the word 'investigation' … scares people." You might instead ask if it would be OK for you to "look into it." "Think about your word choices," Segal said, beginning with how you characterize the process. What I can tell you is that we don't tolerate retaliation."Īvoid interjecting the word "harassment" into the conversation before you know what the problem is. "I'm here to listen, but I can't promise absolute confidentiality."I don't know what you're going to tell me, but I want to make clear we don't tolerate retaliation.".For example, these responses address the legal reality and employees' possible anxieties: Keeping that in mind, Segal led the participants to develop some better options. "Seventy-five percent of employees don't raise concerns when they have them," Segal said, mainly due to fear of retaliation. Unfortunately, that may simply cause workers to shut down. Your first instinct might be to give a flat no, citing your legal duty to report instances of harassment. When employees ask if you can promise confidentiality before they reveal their concerns. He and the group worked through the following suggestions for what to say in several situations, including: "In my experience, there is way too much focus on the law," Segal said, and not enough on the human touch. Often, HR professionals focus too much on following the letter of the law without remembering that every case-and every person-is different. "These are people's lives," said Segal, who led the half-day session on June 16. That's because the stakes in resolving a complaint can be so high. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Select Task Force on Harassment. Segal, a partner at Duane Morris LLP in Philadelphia and a member of the U.S.
I FEEL HARASSED AT WORK PROFESSIONAL
"This may be the hardest task an HR professional does," said Jonathan A.
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