What Has One Year of #MeToo Taught Us About Preventing Workplace Sexual Harassment?
About one year ago today, following the accusations against Harvey Weinstein, the #MeToo movement went viral. Temin and Company Incorporated put together some great data points that bring to life the watershed effect the accusations against Weinstein had on the world.
#MeToo By The Numbers
In the last year and a half, approximately 810 high-profit public figures across industries have been accused of sexual harassment. Of those, 417 suffered repercussions, 146 were fired, 211 resigned, 75 were arrested, 53 were suspended, and 104 lost work or sponsorships due to their actions.
The statistics are staggering, and I see both the beauty and the sadness the #MeToo movement has created. Like many women, I’ve been sexually harassed in the workplace. You wouldn’t think someone would ever sexually harass someone that works in the ethics and compliance department, but you’d be surprised.
When it happened, a part of me felt small and that my voice would be ignored. However, I knew I had to ignore that doubtful voice in the back of my mind and speak up. How could I ask the employees I support to speak up if I wasn’t willing to do it myself? I also knew I had a manager who would listen and take my allegation seriously. Unfortunately, not all employees have receptive managers or a culture encouraging people to speak up for themselves and others.
I knew I had a responsibility to myself and my organization to speak up. Just like with the #MeToo movement, one strong voice can empower others to find their strength. Employees should build each other up and treat each other with dignity and respect.
Safe Spaces Start From the Top
Building a harassment-free organization starts with that company’s leadership and the core values they establish and embody. Shared values are what promote trust and link an organization together. Companies should look beyond the resume and hire people who share and embrace their core values. If someone is missing a skill, you can always provide training. Trying to instill values into someone that is lacking them is almost impossible.
And for companies with a culture of silence where sexual harassment is ignored or tolerated, they can best protect themselves and their employees by changing the culture. They need to stop leaving culture to chance by being proactive and intentional in creating a culture that treats employees with respect and dignity. Leadership must express in words and demonstrate by actions that sexual harassment is forbidden. They also must be willing to terminate employees, regardless of performance, if they have been found guilty of harassment.
The #MeToo movement has been a catalyst for many organizations to take a good look at their employees and their company's culture. Those companies looking to create or repair their culture would do well to remember that it’s all about the values of the people you hire. Companies should only keep or hire in the first place employees that best fit their culture. And more importantly, they need to know what culture and values they want.
I think the CEO of Zappos has the right idea. He believes that “if you get the culture right, most of the other stuff, like great customer service or building a great long-term brand, or empowering passionate employees and customers, will happen on its own."
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MEET THE AUTHOR
Stephanie Farmer is a seasoned ethics and compliance (E&C) professional. She has earned an MA in both Business and Professional and Applied Ethics and is a graduate of The Ethics & Compliance Initiative Managing Ethics in an Organization Program. Prior to and during her E&C career, Stephanie served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves and the North Carolina Air National Guard.
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