Sexual Harassment 10 Ways to Promote Healing

How to help people get past a sexual harassment investigation.

1. Create a workplace in which everyone knows acceptable behavior.

2. Provide training and workshops where people can speak to each other about these issues, before problems occur.

3. Review your sexual harassment policy to be sure it’s clear. Does it spell out zero tolerance for retaliation? Does it clearly state what happens in the event of a false claim?

4. Plan a strategy for healing. Decide if you would allow both client and defendant to continue working or not during an investigation.

5. Consider offering both informal and formal avenues of complaint.

6. Write down procedures so they’re uniform, and be sure everyone knows where they can find them so they can read them.

7. Create a position of ombudsman.

8. Consider what “comforts” you might offer to harassees that would be helpful, and at the same time, show that the company is really concerned about them. This might be payment of legal fees or it might be generous counseling benefits.

9. Locate a good organization or individual who can mediate and communicate to both parties.

10. Offer workshops after an event occurs—for everyone remotely connected.