Page 208 - Becoming a Successful Manager

Handling Harassment 199

the discussion to revolve around generalities, only confusion and
resentment will result. The situation can then worsen, and you’ll
have an even bigger problem.
If it is required by your company policy, report the harassment
to your supervisor. If a pattern of such behavior develops with an
employee over time, this documentation will be important. There
are a number of ways technology can be used to monitor, regulate,
restrict, and protect privacy if necessary.

Don’t Encourage Harassment by Remaining Silent

Part of your job is to promote and protect the welfare of all your
employees. If you ever allow, enable, or encourage harassment by
remaining silent, there can be at least two serious consequences.
One, the situation can get out of hand quickly and become much
worse, and two, you may be the one accused of harassment because
you let it happen. Both of these consequences can have serious
repercussions for you and your company.
There are at least three ways you may be alerted to a harass-
ment situation. An employee may complain to you about another
employee; you may witness or overhear behaviors that might be
considered harassment; and you may see or hear about behavior
that you are certain constitutes harassment.
If an employee complains to you about the behavior of another
employee, the fi rst thing you must do is listen carefully. Do not
offer an opinion, and do not display emotion. Don’t react rashly;
at this point, all you have is the word of someone who has a vested
interest in the charge. There may also be cultural sensitivities you
may not be aware of as well. Instead, approach the situation by
gathering data. Ask specifi c questions of the person complain-
ing, and then ask specifi c questions of the person about whom
the complaint was made. This is not the time for evaluating the