Policy Formation

Policy Formation– Sexual harassment policy not only prevents the occurrence of sexual harassment incidents but also protects an organization from being liable for damages caused by these incidents. A sexual harassment policy should be written in clear and simple English, and specifically tailored to that company’s particular business and employment circumstances.

Steps to formulate

The various steps to formulate an anti-sexual harassment policy are as follows:

Step 1 Identity need – Policies can be developed:

• In anticipation of the need
• In response to the need

The organization needs to constantly assess its activities, responsibilities, and the external environment in order to identify the need for policies and procedures.

Step 2 Identify who will take lead responsibility

Step 3 Gather information

Step 4 Draft policy

Step 5 Consult with appropriate stakeholders

• Supporters;
• Staff and volunteers;
• Management Committee members; and
• Service users or beneficiaries.

Step 6 Finalize / approve policy

Step 7 Consider whether procedures are required

Step 8 Implement

Step 9 Monitor, review, revise

Well-written policy

A well-written policy against sexual harassment should contain:

• Definition of sexual harassment;
• Clear prohibition;
• Investigation procedure;
• Information on making an internal complaint;
• A non-retaliation statement;
• Possible disciplines

Other provisions may be useful include: confidentiality; special duties of managerial personnel; and harassment conducted by non-employees such as clients or contractors.

A well-written policy is useless unless it is enforced and committed throughout the workplace.

Policy formation can be achieved in several ways. Including the policy in the employee manual and continuously posting it around the workplace help both new and old employees become aware of its presence. It may also be helpful to attract employees’ attention by periodically changing the layout and color of the poster. Another way to put the policy in use is by requiring employees to sign forms acknowledging their awareness of the company’s tolerance and methods of dealing with sexual harassment. Finally, if an organization already has a sexual harassment policy implemented and adopted, a recommendation is to audit and revise it once in a while.

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