Employers: Stick and Stones May Break Bones, but (Allowing) Name Calling Can Get You Sued
Summary
Yet, some employers mistakenly believe that inappropriate rhetoric that stops short of threats, racism or sexism is, while not endorsed or encouraged by management, is nevertheless tolerable; if for no other reason than governing such behaviour across a large workforce is administratively difficult. But to balance public safety with pragmatic reality, the police typically set their sights on the most egregious speed demons who go pedal to the metal vs. folks whose foot is slightly heavier than it ought to be. In addition, all employers —those that are confident about the suitability of rhetoric in their workplace, and those that are concerned — are strongly encouraged to provide meaningful training in cultural awareness, diversity, and human rights. At PIVOTAL, our highly experienced HR specialists can work with your executive, management and supervisory teams, and equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to foster a workplace that is free of harmful rhetoric — now and into the future. We can help your organization strengthen and improve policies and processes related to reporting, investigating, and acting upon alleged and established human rights breaches, as well as provide your workforce with diversity and cultural awareness training.