Training Industry ─ In a new bylined article, Elissa Rossi, Vice President of Compliance Services at Traliant, addresses the need for Canadian employers to better protect their employees amidst growing concerns surrounding workplace harassment and workplace violence. 

Pointing to a recent Traliant report which found that 61% of human resources professionals in Canada feel workplace harassment is a growing issue in their organization, Rossi says employers need to provide harassment prevention policies, robust reporting procedures and training. Entitled “Canadian Culture Check: A report on workplace harassment in Canada,” the report reveals that almost 1 in 4 individuals in the US have witnessed workplace violence happening to another employee in the last five years.  

“By incorporating a holistic approach to compliance management and adopting a safety-first mindset into an organization’s culture, organizations ensure they are providing employees with the tools needed to identify and report harassment and elevate the overall workplace environment.” ─ Elissa Rossi, Vice President of Compliance Services at Traliant 

Rossi adds leaders should frame harassment and workplace violence prevention as a part of employees’ job descriptions and make it clear that misconduct will be addressed promptly. She says managers need extra guidance and additional training as they have special responsibilities to report any misconduct they learn about and to make sure their teams feel able to express concerns without fear of retaliation or company inaction. 

When it comes to training, the most impactful is interactive and shows employees what harassment and workplace violence is through nuanced storytelling that is relevant to their everyday roles. Rossi recommends that training reflect the industry that employees work in and provide a broad array of situations in which harassment can arise, from comments to social media activity. 

In addition to harassment and workplace violence prevention, Rossi says organizations should establish a code of conduct to foster a shared sense of responsibility and reinforce the message that the company is all in this together. Here again, she says effective training is crucial to help employees connect the code to their everyday roles, providing the clarity needed to make informed decisions that drive a stronger, more accountable workplace culture. 

Click here to read the full article.

    Get Access to a Full Course