As our society makes strides in equality and rights, the rules and guidelines surrounding appropriate interactions, especially in the workplace, are changing and adapting to better protect everyone fairly. In order to maintain the quality of your company’s employee environment as a healthy one, keep your crew adequately trained in the regulations and mandates of the state.
Making these training courses a priority is a wise decision to be certain that your staff is always operating within the regulations put in place by the state. This helps prevent incidents between employees as well as promotes a positive image for your brand. Avoid finding your company name in headlines, articles, or statistic reviews, found often on sites such as this one: https://www.nytimes.com/topic/subject/sexual-harassment
Level playing field
With power imbalances all too common in large corporations, it makes a statement when other businesses express zero tolerance for inexcusable behaviors. Holding those who commit offenses accountable shows what you expect from your crew, and what you will not stand for. Create a space for your employees to work at their very best capacity and in a healthy, positive mood. Show your respect for them as individuals by giving them a protected, professional environment.
While there are blanket laws across the country protecting every person in professional settings, there are also locally controlled rules, guidelines, and regulations to abide by. Reasons for these implications may seem obvious to most, but there are some who simply don’t see the difference between what they consider normal conversation and what constitutes harassment. The standard of acceptable topics is different for each person and their family. What must be taught and expected at work is that professional relationships have completely unique expectations. Take time to read about the courses that explain New York’s sexual harassment training requirements to better understand what your employees will be covering.
An important distinction from HR
While we come to associate the Human Resources department with the mediator who resolves internal issues but training your staff to entirely avoid the behaviors that require Human Resources interference, you can promote comradery within your company. Division sprouting from miscommunication, uncomfortable interactions, childish rumors, or inappropriate behaviors can become a disease in a crew, sewing personal grudges, and vendettas. Without proper training to prevent these issues, more toxic confrontations may follow. Should tensions run too high, or someone pushes a coworker too far out of their comfort zone, it’s possible for one or both of them to lash out.
Happiness can’t be bought
Think about your early jobs, when you were so focused on remembering the rules that you had to slow everything down just to make sure you didn’t miss a step. Even as we get older and more experienced with our jobs, we still need to be able to focus while we work. It’s easy to be distracted when you feel like someone is watching you a little too closely or making conversation about topics that give you a visceral reaction. Treating every employee fairly by requiring their interactions to meet a minimum level of professionalism has to start with teaching them what those standards are.
It’s been seen in various studies that happy employees stay with their companies longer and can also be more productive. Based on information found on this site, 69% of employees cited unhappiness as the reason why they left their jobs. Dissatisfaction with their career is the number one reason why good employees will leave a company. Perks and benefits, company outings or office parties can help boost morale somewhat, but ultimately providing an excellent, friendly, safe workplace is the best way to secure long-term residencies from your staff.
Your most important investment
No one wants to have to call security or request assistance dealing with their own employees from police officers. It doesn’t look good for the company, it can leave you shorthanded as the employees are removed to resolve their dispute and can even cause them to resign from their positions. Rather than let your business ever fall into such discourse, give them the best courses available to learn the regulations and mandates of appropriate workplace behavior and dialogue.
Save the money you would end up spending seeking new hires and training them to replace good staff members, retain your long timers, the employees that want to grow with your company by protecting them while they’re on the clock. Invest it in treating them for the hard work they put in daily, show them with actions that you appreciate them and care about their well-being. Create the perfect, most successful team possible with the right mindset towards your employees and the business model you’re pursuing, and never worry about ensuring your staff is adequately educated on the annual requirements imposed by the state.
janardan
alison luri