Business owners have many complicated responsibilities and considerations when it comes to managing people. When a business has employees, the way that management interacts with them is important. Specifically, in today’s culture, the way in which management handles disputes and misconduct in the workplace is vastly different than it was years ago. With more women in the workplace openly expressing their complaints about treatment with regards to sexual harassment, many companies are re-evaluating their approach to handling these situations.
Large companies and small companies are all in the same boat, whether it is Nike reassessing complaints of workplace misconduct or the local mom and pop shop dealing with disgruntled employees from factors related to a poor work environment. It is critical that management handles situations where harassment allegations are made with care and consideration of correct methods for the most effective outcome.
How To Respond to Allegations of Workplace Harassment in Your Business?
When you are dealing with allegations of harassment in your business, you must respond strategically. The way that one business responds can be very different from the way another business handles the situation. For example, if you are a large, international business you will have to take action in ways that owners of lesser-known and smaller companies wouldn’t necessarily have to do. So it is not just the business itself that will dictate the response but also the type of allegations you are dealing with.
Businesses with more brand-awareness or that are internationally known may have to make a public statement, take questions, and describe the ways the company is taking the allegation seriously including a diligent effort to create change. For other companies connecting with the public may not be appropriate. Instead, these companies may want to meet with managers and employees to make it noted that the rules the company has in relation to harassment must be enforced. In some cases, the company may also want to adjust the rules.
After such destructive allegations are made, a company has a duty to quickly and fairly respond. Then, making all employees in the company know that harassment is not tolerated and reviewing policies related to harassment could be helpful. If there are no formal policies in place in a company, this would be a time where it would make sense to develop some. When policies aren’t detailed enough to address the issues, these policies could be changed and updated. Additionally, defining a specific process for reporting harassment as well as the ways that the company will investigate such claims is equally important.
Speak with a California Business Attorney Today
Ensuring your team knows what the expectations and the procedures are can help boost morale and their good faith in your business’s operations. If you don’t handle harassment allegations in the state of California seriously, your business can face significant consequences including the destruction of your band as well as legal implications under California state sexual harassment laws.
At Leiva Law, our California business attorneys have extensive experience helping business owners develop comprehensive plans to address harassment allegations and protect your business’s integrity. When you have a specific plan clearly stating the right channels, procedures, and penalties for misconduct you may be able to avoid these situations from happening altogether. Call on Leiva Law today to schedule your free consultation at 818-519-4465.
