Do you know how expensive litigation on sexual harassment cases are? Or how it can ruin company reputation and, when not addressed properly, can empty your financial coffers? Sexual harassment is a serious matter and as an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure that your workplace goes unscathed with such controversy. This is even more so to transport companies composed of mostly male employees. A workplace like this can be a haven for legal impediments and while having directors and office insurance for transport companies is good, you can do better by also addressing such problem before it happens.
Sexual Harassment Knows No Place
An unwelcome conduct on the job which creates an offensive, hostile or even intimidating environment is quite a wide spread of water to waddle in. It can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone. A male driver of one of your fleets may do catcalls to a female employee leading the latter to file a complaint. Or perhaps, you are making sexually explicit jokes or a manager condescending subordinates may also become grounds for such.
It does not stop there though. Sexual harassment can extend to external stakeholders like say a client or a supplier. Or it may be your employee being harassed by a vendor or a client, of which responsibility for protecting his or her welfare still rests on your hands. It can happen even in the best managed companies and like a theft in the night, it can ruin lives, reputations or even worse, can close business portfolios.
Preventive Mitigations
Getting good transport company directors & office insurance is highly recommended to companies as “risky” as yours. Protection from any possibilities is a must for businesses as they grow and thrive in the industry. It should not be considered the end-all of your strategies in addressing sexual harassment though. The need to create preventive strategies must be taken into mind to ensure a workplace that’s safe, gender-sensitive, and ethical. Although the risks will still be high knowing that you cannot fully control human behaviour, crafting certain strategies can help alleviate this concern.
Try to create a clear-cut sexual harassment policy. As much as possible, include this briefly in the employee handbook. Routine engagement on certain procedures concerning the subject must also be taken into mind. Some successful transport companies even include such on every toolbox meeting schedule to ensure that all hands are on deck when it comes to preventive measures. Train and engage employees regularly. Also, do take complaints seriously and act immediately on matters concerning such. A responsive management must act swiftly and decisively on matters such as sexual harassment.
Of course, do remember to include managers, supervisors, directors, and other executives in the company. Regular communication with vendors, suppliers, clients and other external stakeholders will also help lessen this risk. Monitoring workplace including activities of fleet on the field will also help mitigate this problem. Keep a good Directors & office insurance transport companies insurance portfolio handy. Call us so we can help craft the right policy for you and your business.