Preventing hierarchical harassment: a necessity for the company

How to prevent hierarchical harassment?

Experiencing harassment in the office is very common source of profound discomfort. This persecution can be carried out by a supervisor. In this case, the situation is all the more serious since the victim employee is less tempted to file a complaint... for fear of losing his job, for fear of having an insurmountable volume of work or simply because of the anxiety feeled.Even if the employee files a complaint, the deleterious atmosphere that will follow a lawsuit maypermanently affect the well-being of employees and the management team. It is therefore essential to prevent hierarchical harassment.

Understanding hierarchical harassment in order to better combat it

There are several forms of harassment in the workplace. First of all, the sexual harassment or sexist acts that result in the repetition of gestures or words with sexual connotation.There is also the Mobbing. This aggression is identified by a repetition of attitudes. It can take several forms:

• an overload of work.
• a deterioration of conditions or of the professional environment.
• hurtful words.
• systematic avoidance or isolation of the victim.

Harassment is said to be hierarchical when it is exercised by the employee's direct or indirect supervisor concerned. Because of his authority, said person has greater power over his collaborators. This position constitutes an aggravating circumstance in the event of a proven fact. Proving hierarchical harassment is often difficult when there are no witnesses or if the victim does not confide in colleagues. When several hierarchical superiors team up to harass one or more collaborators, we talk about Mobbing.

What are the causes of hierarchical harassment?

Hierarchical harassment has its deep root in several causes, although we cannot talk about typical profiles :

• First of all, it is the personality trait of the line manager that induces harassment. This attitude shows a blatant managerial incompetence that has a direct impact on one element or the entire team.
• The ambitious nature of an employee can lead his supervisor to harass him. The latter hopes that this bullying, isolation or overwork will limit the employee's desire to advance in his career. In this case, the lack of self-confidence causes the superior to feel threatened.
• Cultural differences are also one of the causes of hierarchical harassment. A different background, a different origin, another religion, and even simple tattoos or a different hairdo can elicit the reprehensible behavior.
• Private difficulties can deviate into acts of hierarchical harassment. This is a lack of discernment that can continue over a long period of time.

How to prevent hierarchical harassment at work?

To avoid its appearance within the company, it is necessary to put in place a clear prevention policy.

Talk openly about workplace harassment

During a meeting, during a seminar or as part of a team building, it is essential toAddressing workplace harassment on all levels. We will not only talk about sexual harassment, but also about moral harassment and its various forms. Identifying risky behaviors and their various sources will allow everyone to adjust their attitude in the professional environment.

Training managers and managers in leadership and ethics

The fight against hierarchical harassment specifically concerns managers and the management team within an organization. Since benevolent supervision, which excludes all forms of harassment, is an integral part of leadership, it is essential to set up training on this aspect of management. Ethics should be an integral part of training, as it contributes to improving the quality of life at work.

Offer a communication channel

One of the obstacles to identifying hierarchical harassment behavior is the lack of communication between the victim and the management team or the human resources department. To get everyone to share their problems, you have to set up a structure that allows victims to confide in each other discreetly. For example, secure communication channels can be integrated into the company's information system.

Observe office behaviors

Without invading the living space of employees and managers, we can set up a system for observing behavior in the workplace if there is a suspicion of harassment. It's easy to spot aggressive attitudes when you pay attention to them, especially if you notice a Decreased performance in the supposed victim.

Adopt a specific policy to improve the quality of life at work

Unhappiness at work is not not only caused by possible harassment. In the majority of cases, more generalized problems such as a non-optimized environment, a poor distribution of roles or a lack of recognition lead to a decrease in the quality of life at work. To correct this, it is necessary to take the time to analyze the situation in order to then implement a new human resources management and ergonomics policy in companies.

Take the necessary measures in the event of proven hierarchical harassment

If harassing behavior is indeed proven by a supervisor, the necessary measures should be taken to stop the behavior. The objective is to restore confidence in the victim and to make the harasser understand the seriousness of his actions. Mediation is often useful to regain harmony at work and to avoid possible legal proceedings.‍