The United States has been very much at the forefront of the sexual harassment at work scandal, with the allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein triggering a flood of revelations about the harassment suffered by women across the US, Europe and beyond.
Unfortunately, despite this increased focus on sexual harassment in the workplace, a new survey has revealed that only 32% of working Americans said that their employer has taken new steps to prevent and address this type of discrimination.
According to the survey, by the American Psychological Association, the most common action taken was simply reminding employees of existing sexual harassment training or resources (18%).
Only 10% of U.S. workers said their employer has added more training or resources related to sexual harassment since the recent increased media and public attention on this serious workplace problem. Just 8% said their employer implemented a more stringent policy related to sexual harassment, and only 7% reported that their employer hosted an all-staff meeting to discuss sexual harassment.
Interestingly, the survey also found evidence of differing outcomes when women have representation in upper management. Employees in organisations that have women in senior leadership roles said they were more likely to report sexual harassment at work if they experienced it (56%) or witnessed it (55%), and confront a co-worker who is engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior at work (53%), compared with employees in organisations that don’t have women in senior leadership roles (39%, 41% and 34% respectively).
“While the lack of meaningful change is not entirely surprising, it is disappointing”, said David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA, director of APA’s Center for Organisational Excellence.
“The #MeToo movement has given business leaders an opportunity to finally take real action addressing a complex problem that has been pervasive for generations,” he added. “Our survey — as well as anecdotal reports — shows that too few employers are making comprehensive efforts that can have significant impact.”
If you have been the victim of sexual harassment at work then contact us today. We are a team of high-calibre employment law litigators, recognised for our advocacy skills and excellent client satisfaction. We specialise in handling complex and high-value claims on behalf of directors, executives, senior management and employees, particularly in the financial industry.
Our experts can help
Contact UsContact us for immediate confidential advice. Out of Hours and Weekend help available
It would not be an exaggeration to say that I was extremely pessimistic about being able to get a decent redundancy settlement. I was feeling really low and depressed. That all changed when Caroline Walker agreed to act for me.She secured an excellent settlement for me, without me having to face the expense and stress of going to court...
- Martine Roberts"I cannot recommend you highly enough. A law firm that really delivers all it promises. I never thought I would say that I found the costs reasonable, but I did, and I will never get over how much you secured for me in a totally unexpected settlement. It has set me up for the next chapter in my life. Thank you, thank you."
- J. Brown"I would like to thank you for your exceptional service. You and your firm Cavendish Employment Law have been brilliant in your responsiveness and legal advice. We have had numerous time sensitive and complex issues. You always delivered for our company in spite of very challenging timelines. I highly recommend you and your firm."
- John McVeighIt would not be an exaggeration to say that I was extremely pessimistic about being able to get a decent redundancy settlement. I was feeling really low and depressed. That all changed when Caroline Walker agreed to act for me.She secured an excellent settlement for me, without me having to face the expense and stress of going to court...
- Martine Roberts"I cannot recommend Caroline more highly. Any client of hers is really fortunate to have her on their side. She is a credit to her profession and I am most grateful to her."
- Jake Brown