Consequences

Consequences– Sexual harassment can involve heavy costs:

Costs to companies

One of the consequences is the cost to companies. Harassment costs companies money by reducing productivity, morale, and motivation. If a worker is constantly concerned that the harasser may strike again, she is unlikely to be able to work effectively. At the same time, colleagues who are not involved may be de-motivated if they are aware of unacceptable goings-on, or fear possible favoritism.

Companies may lose valuable staff. Many women resign rather than go through the unpleasantness of a confrontation. The costs of bad decisions due to harassment are difficult to quantify. These include costs of appointing people because of their looks or compliance with “quid pro quo” demands, (rather than skills and competence), costs of perks, or unearned increases for favorites. High absenteeism among women could also be a result (or even a symptom) of harassment, as the stress caused by such an unresolved problem, or the fear of being harassed again can either cause illness.

Legal costs

Companies can incur legal costs if the problem is ignored. Action may be brought against an employer who knows or ought to know about harassment and fails to take appropriate preventive action. Where there are inadequate channels of complaint, an employer may be held liable even if there was no knowledge of the harassment.

This is followed by losses in terms of financial settlements with the victim prior to or post-trial. This also leads to bad publicity of the company with the media.

Personal costs

Another of the consequences is Personal costs. The victims usually suffer the highest personal costs, although the harassers and even observers can also, be harmed if harassment is allowed to go uncontrolled.

Few people who have not experienced it personally understand the distress and even terror sexual harassment can cause. Most women experience it as an insult, that undermines their self-confidence and thus also their personal effectiveness. It may also undermine their trust in men and in people in authority. In the case of women who were sexually abused as children or as adults, another negative experience can cause serious psychological damage.

Women who resign because of sexual harassment problems, often have difficulty getting references from their previous employers, or giving reasons for having left their previous jobs; and may thus have difficulty in finding another position. Women, who resist harassment or complain, maybe victimized, E.g., overlooked for promotion. Thus this can hold back their career development and personal growth.

The harassers themselves could fall into bad habits if their behavior is allowed to continue. This can negatively influence their effectiveness at work, their interpersonal relationships, and their personal development. Particularly in the case of the last two of the types of harassers mentioned above, the serial and the situational harassers, ignoring their behavior could cause a deep-seated problem to go untreated.

Men or women who observe harassment going unchecked may lose trust in their superiors may feel threatened by the situation if they believe that others are favored because they play along, or may either look for job opportunities elsewhere or will be tempted to indulge in the same type of behavior.

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