The #metoo movement has surfaced a lot of questions about office policies and how to encourage, or discourage, certain behaviors. While most of us are taught said behaviors as early as preschool, like - follow the “golden rule,” keep your hands to yourself, clean up after yourself - we sometimes forget these guidelines. Even our work environment can reflect this “forgetfulness” because we don’t necessarily promote the right behaviors in the office. When we tolerate inappropriate behavior it can decrease employee morale, retention, and productivity, while also creating the potential for a lawsuit.
Most companies put policies in place to communicate workplace standards and to minimize liability. Employees are required to read through these policies and sign a form or check a box “proving” completion, but then those manuals or policies get tossed in a drawer, real or virtual, that’s closed and forgotten, often until litigation ensues…
At work - just like at home, in public, or anywhere else, poor behavior often continues to occur because it isn’t effectively or practically addressed. Employers can - and should - give their managers and supervisors the tools necessary to respond to workplace behaviors that are, or aren’t, consistent with their policies and culture. One way to help reinforce the importance of one’s workplace policies and culture is to conduct an in-house training to review, discuss, and apply such policies.
Our team helps you evaluate and cultivate a workplace culture that will help minimize liability for and reduce employment claims. We can then help you craft policies consistent with that culture. And once the policies are drafted, we will provide in-house training to your team on the standards put in place, the reasoning behind the rules, how and when they should be administered, and the practical application of the policies to common workplace problems.
Employers who want to cultivate an environment of teamwork, respect, and consistency, should contact our office to review your policies and implement training today.