The #MeToo movement has brought attention to the pervasive issue of sexual harassment in the workplace. Not that it’s new though. Title VII of the Civil Right’s Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in the workplace based on sex, religion, race, color, or national origin. But, it wasn’t until the 80’s that the supreme court ruled sexual harassment illegal and covered under Title VII.
Now, thirty years later, the #MeToo movement has put the pressure back on organizations and HR to address sexual harassment. The movement made it clear that laws and supreme court cases weren’t enough to stop the inexcusable actions. Women spoke out on their own personal experiences and the harassment they faced daily. It became viral overnight and high profile men were ousted from jobs and major roles. Organizations faced pressure from the public to take quick action and most did.
While the #MeToo movement has started the discussion, organizations still have work to do to create inclusive spaces where women feel safe and supported. Unfortunately, sexual harassment has become engrained within the organizational culture for some companies. In those situations, more than just annual, pre-recorded trainings are needed to make change happen.
Data and metrics can help address the issue
Employee relations (ER) is an area of HR that does not get much attention when it comes to analytics. Most investigations are handled manually with paper files and documented on an individual basis. This makes it difficult to effectively track how many and the types of ER issues that are arising.
Implementing a technology solution to help HR manage ER issues and be more proactive. An employee relations case management system provides a centralized location for cases to be tracked. This would be especially helpful for larger organizations where multiple HR people could be handling ER issues. Since everything is centralized, data can be exported and analyzed to find patterns. HR can identify if there is a pervasive issue vs just one-off cases.
Additionally, a technical tool can streamline and standardize ER practices. HR has a responsibility to investigate all claims to the best of their ability and in a timely fashion. A system with specific parameters built-in will require consistent practices. Additionally, it will make it easier to look back and establish precedence. In HR, the question always is “what did we do in the past”. A case management system will make it easier to find the answer for employee relations.
Metrics and data are never the answer to changing behavior or culture, but they are an invaluable tool for finding effective solutions. Employee relations and investigations don’t have to be left out of HR analytics. The #MeToo movement has put the pressure on HR and organizational leaders to do more to change the culture. We should be leveraging every tool possible to create a safer workplace for all employees.
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