Safe Spaces Make Great Workplaces Provides Online Course To Address Workplace Sexual Harassment New online resources will help employers across the province address sexual harassment in the workplace.
The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission has a Safe Spaces Make Great Workplaces campaign.
It’s providing a free online course, as well as a template for sexual harassment policy. This came after they saw a significant rise in employers asking for advice and training.
CEO Christine Hanson says it shows examples of inappropriate behaviours and the best practices for dealing with a sexual harassment complaint.
“How do you deal with that, what’s expected of you [and] where do you go for information,” she says.
“So all of that is contained in the short, online course and we expect there will be quite a bit of demand for it.”
Hanson says this is an issue everyone should care about.
Hanson says women experience sexual harassment in the work place three to four times more than men, but it’s still an issue on both sides.
She says inapropiate behaviour in the workplace has a cost for those experiencing it.
“It can also have a detrimental effect on people who are just in an environment, seeing someone else experience it,” she says.
“This can really impact a person’s ability to make a living as they’re afraid to speak out they may lose their job.”
Hanson says there’s also legal costs, productivity and low morale.
But she says she’s encouraged how many businesses have reached out for help.
The online resources are available at Safe Spaces Make Great Workplaces.
