One of the best ways to avoid claims of discrimination and harassment in the workplace is to create and reinforce a company culture where these problems are minimized. While employment law resources can help protect employers when they have been accused of workplace discrimination or harassment, it’s always best to avoid legal disputes whenever possible. By maintaining a healthy company culture, employers can protect themselves and their businesses against claims of workplace discrimination.
Tips for company culture
Business leaders and others recommend that employers create a positive culture by, among other things:
- Demonstrating the importance of employee involvement, including in conversations related to company culture and day-to-day operations.
- Ensuring the actions of management do not conflict with the stated values of the company.
- Aligning everything, including departments, processes and initiatives, with company culture and inviting employees to participate in company culture through collaboration and innovation.
- Conducting periodic culture audits rather than waiting until something happens so that employers can evaluate if their efforts are working.
- Remaining transparent in all company dealings and being transparent with employees and teams.
- Celebrating the successes of all employees and teams, including achievements big and small.
- Offering flexibility to employees and demonstrating a willingness to work with staff t accommodate changing scheduling needs.
- Providing increased responsibility to employees and refraining from micromanagement.
In addition, it is important to have stated policies prohibiting harassment and discrimination in the workplace and to have a process for complaints to be made, as well as for following up on those complaints. Regular training concerning the policy is also important. By following these steps, employers can help create a healthy corporate culture, minimize discrimination and harassment in the workplace, and hopefully avoid legal disputes.