Sexual Harassment and Investigation

Human Resource Management Methods Scenario #2 Workplace conflicts take place everywhere and paying no attention to them can have severe consequences. For instance, employees spend a great deal of time gossiping, and this can lead to reduced employee productivity and significant drain on an entity. It is imperative for HR professionals to examine and understand the reasons behind workplace conflict and tackle them before or even after employees are unable to work together (Lytle, 2015).

What is your response to the area director? My response to the area director is that is sexual harassment. This is unhealthy workplace conflict. Sexual harassment is delineated as unsolicited sexual advances, appeals for sexual favors and other vocal or physical demeanor of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment is a serious aspect that can impede a personnel's job performance, or generate an unapproachable, unreceptive or offensive work setting (Society for Human Resource Management, 2016). It is an illegal offense that should not continue taking place.

I would also tell the area director that an investigation would be undertaken to determine whether such allegations are true and how they would be resolved. Based on your knowledge of employment law, conflict management, and investigation procedures, what would be the best way to handle this situation? The most ideal way to cope with this situation is to undertake comprehensive and thorough investigation in order to ascertain whether the complaint lodged by the area director is true.

These processes should follow the organizational policy and employee handbook already set by the organization. It is imperative to follow legal guiding principles set by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It is also necessary to include an attorney in this process. If such complaints are in fact true then the most fitting action against the wrongdoer will be undertaken. In particular, if the activity is less serious, it warrants less discipline, which might consist of a warning or counseling.

On the other hand, if the activity was in fact severe and serious, then it would warrant more severe consequences, such as termination from the organization (England, 2016). The key task undertaken by a Human Resource Generalist is to manage the everyday operations of the Human Resource Department or Unit. As a Human Resource Generalist, my role in the investigation is to aid in the communication of policies, and giving advice to the managers regarding the measures to undertaken in progressive discipline system of the organization.

Describe the steps you will take to investigate this employee complaint, and explain how you will resolve the conflict It is necessary for employers to take sensible measures to preclude harassment from taking place. It is also imperative to speedily correct any sexually harassing behavior that has taken place. Undertaking an efficacious investigation of harassment complaints and quickly undertaking intervention to solve them are vital to these objectives (Cooper, 2012).

Taking into consideration that a matter of sexual complaint has been reported, the following are steps that will be undertaken to investigate this complaint and resolve it. 1. Immediately instigate the investigation The investigations will be initiated instantaneously and finished as soon as possible. 2. Awareness of and utilizing EEOC guidelines The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's guiding principles offer the proper channel on how to conduct a successful examination into improper harassment.

In particular, these procedures will encompass counsel on how to attain integrity determinations and defensive measures to take in the course of the investigation. As an employee relations representative, I will not instigate an investigation prior to being acquainted with these guidelines (Cooper, 2012). 3. Develop sufficient information Every investigation ought to be documented. These reports should be comprehensive and considerately written. Preferably, witness testimonials ought to be signed by the eye witnesses.

When proposing conclusions regarding a witness' trustworthiness, the investigator is duty-bound to set forth the impartial basis for his resolve (Cooper, 2012). 4. Interviewing all potential witnesses This will encompass asking the area director to identify any witnesses that might have pertinent information. In addition, coworkers of the accused will be examined, as they may have the capacity to provide information regarding whether they have seen such behaviors take place.

This is imperative because if such behaviors have been perceived in past times, they can have a significant impact on the outcome of the investigation (Cooper, 2012). 5. Undertake temporary counteractive measures during the investigation More often than not, employers lay emphasis solely on which counteractive measures to conduct subsequent to the completion of the investigation. Nonetheless, reliant on the situation, it might be necessary to undertake provisional counteractive measures in the course of an investigation.

For instance, in this case of sexual harassment, guiding principles from the EEOC recommend the separation of the complaining personnel from the suspected harasser to the point of completion (Cooper, 2012). 6. Taking measures to evade reprisal Each person apprehensive, comprising HR representatives, administrators, and managers, ought to be exceedingly thoughtful to the guidelines leaving out reprisal. In numerous instances, behavior that could be regarded as vengeful, whether it is done by the indicted or others, can set in motion additional accountability.