As people worldwide call “Time’s up” on sexual harassers at work, Velsoft Training Materials is releasing a guide to prevent it ever happening in the first place.
The New Glasgow-based company’s guide stresses effective leadership, commitment to an inclusive workplace, changing the culture, accountability, solid policies, training, awareness and prompt discipline of any offenders as key to stopping sexual harassers in their tracks.
“Our goal is to stop something before it starts,” Velsoft CEO Jim Fitt told The News.
The guide, titled Preventing Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace, Proactive First Steps, also refers to the Time’s Up movement’s impact, describes what sexual harassment is, provides data about the problem and lays out its impact on workplaces.
Velsoft says the guide is intended to begin a conversation while also promoting positive and healthy work environments that are safe, respectful and harassment-free.
As the #TimesUp and #MeToo movements sound the alarm over the huge number of people who have suffered sexual harassment worldwide, businesspeople are starting to pay heed to what it means for the workplace.
Velsoft says that many clients reached out to them for help in putting a stop to sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace.
This sparked an internal discussion about how Velsoft could help combat the problem.
“We care about our clients and we care about employees. It’s important to us to help when we can and make sure employees everywhere can go to work every day and feel safe,” said Fitt in a release earlier Friday.
The worldwide movement against sexual harassment has already claimed a number of powerful politicians in Canada, including former Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie in Nova Scotia, who was accused of inappropriate behaviour.
Others forced to step down include Baillie’s Ontario counterpart Patrick Brown and federal Liberal cabinet messenger Kent Hehr.
None of the allegations have been proven.
The Velsoft guide against sexual harassment can be downloaded free at https://www.velsoft.com/resources/.
