For immediate use
No. 352
Employees reluctant to report sexual harassment, survey finds
CHAPEL HILL -- Employees often don't tell their supervisors about sexual harassment because they do not believe that justice will result, according to a study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School.
The findings, based on a survey of 138 Masters of Business Administration (MBA) students who had workplace experience, indicate that businesses have not learned to deal effectively with sexual harassment, said Dr. Debra L. Shapiro, Kenan-Flagler management professor and a coordinator of the study. Educating supervisors and proving to employees that anti-sexual harassment policies work are among her tips for combating reluctance to report harassment.
In the survey of students, taken in spring 1996, respondents were 47 percent female, 53 percent male. Students, on average, were 30 years old and had 3.4 years of work experience. Respondents held practical knowledge of the workplace, having come from industries as varied as marketing, finance, banking, manufacturing and retail.
"A significant gap between the number of incidents of sexual harassment and the number of cases actually reported, shown by a variety of surveys, points to a serious reluctance on the part of victims to report grievances," Shapiro said. "Organizations need to look beyond the legal bottom line in implementing sexual harassment policies. Satisfying the legal mandate for a sexual harassment policy clearly is not enough to encourage employees to voice grievances."
In their study, Shapiro, management professor Ellen Peirce and doctoral student Betty Witcher examined factors that influence employees' choice to voice sexual harassment grievances. Results showed employees are more likely to do so when they perceive that supervisors are supportive, retaliation will not result and institutional policies will stop the harassment, said Shapiro. When employees believe retaliation is likely, institutional policies against sexual harassment have no significant effect, she said.
Encouraging employees to voice sexual harassment grievances makes good business sense, Peirce said. "Huge costs to the company and the individual are incurred when grievances are not voiced or are raised outside the organization through lawsuits." In addition, companies may lose valuable employees who do not feel comfortable voicing complaints.
"As a matter of practical and legal importance, managers need to learn how to effectively handle complaints when they arise, before they have a negative impact on the corporation or further effects on the victim," Peirce said.
The Kenan-Flagler researchers offered the following practical advice for organizations: Educate supervisors about what constitutes sexual harassment and the steps they should take to deal with it. Supervisors must be taught to investigate complaints as swiftly, thoroughly and confidentially as possible. "It is crucial that supervisors assure victims, with both words and actions, that retaliation will not occur," Shapiro said. In written policies, explicitly define sexual harassment, with examples, and include a "no-retaliation clause," Shapiro said. "Policies should state that sexual harassment will not be tolerated and should define the punishment for harassment and retaliation."
Prove that policies against sexual harassment are effective. "Highlighting the existence of sexual harassment policies and, perhaps more importantly, highlighting the measures that will be taken to prevent retaliation, are likely to encourage victims of sexual harassment to voice these grievances," Shapiro said.
For more information or copies of the study, call Shapiro at Kenan-Flagler, 919-962-3224.
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