Harassment, Discrimination and Bullying. If you are like me, when you hear these words you cringe. Currently here in Illinois only two of these are against the law the other is not. Regardless, the reason it makes me cringe is not because the law. It has to do with respect and kindness. This has been in the news recently due to states and companies taking a stance on a sensitive issue. Now, we are not politicians (there is one job I would not want) however we do have people we need to work with everyday – whether they are employees, clients or vendors.

When most people think of harassment they think of sexual harassment, the quid pro quo of asking for favors in return for a job or a promotion. To be honest, as a society we have learned not to do this Which is great. However there are other forms of harassment. What is seen now is more in the form of off-color jokes, NSFW (Not Safe For Work) pictures/movies being seen at work. There is a reason social media came up with this term and yet it still happens.

When it comes to discrimination, treating someone different because of race, religion, nation origin, gender, etc. Unfortunately this is happening more and more. It can be happening in your business. Imagine if you were a member of a team lead by someone who insist on a team prayer before starting the day and you are an atheist, practices a different religion, or someone who keeps their faith very private. Are you going to feel discriminated against if you speak up? Could your job be in jeopardy if don’t participate?

We know harassment and discrimination are wrong and we do what’s needed to prevent it. Although bullying seems to be tolerated when the person whose the bully is also a high performer. In many states and countries, being a “jerk” is not illegal. Is that why we tolerate it? Because the law hasn’t told us differently? In my experience, no that’s not the case. It is tolerated because the person is a high performer. The question to ask then is “when is enough, enough?” and “what is more valuable to you?”. Think about how it is effecting everyone else in your organization, is it stopping or slowing others from achieving their best every day? What does that cost to you?

Interested in learning more and training your staff about the differences? A very respected colleague is hosting a preview session of “Taboo Topix” a unique training on harassment, discrimination and bullying. This is not a boring lecture, it is engaging, interactive and scenarios presented are all real! To bring situations to life, scenes are performed by actors so you can witness what it looks like and not just read/hear about it. Click here to learn more..