How Much Does It Cost a Company? When Employee #1 is off making sexist comments towards Employee #2, not only is productive work time lost, but Employee #2 might take stress leave, use sick days to stay home and avoid the bully, file a workers’ compensation claim or even be pushed into resignation. A recent study by Harvard Business School found that toxic workers cost companies more than $10,000 in employee turnover alone. On top of that price are litigation costs, regulatory penalties and reduced employee morale (more sick days and less work done). Not only is there a monetary price to pay, hostile behavior at work causes dangerous levels of stress, sometimes leading to severe illnesses. Learn how to promote a healthy and safe work environment in our eBook, “Conducting Effective Harassment Investigations with Case Management Software.”

Is Hostility at Work Common? There is a series of trends that seem to arise from studies like these. According to a 2015 study conducted by Rand Corp., Harvard Medical School and the University of California, nearly 20% of employees According to a 2015 study conducted by Rand Corp., Harvard Medical School and the University of California,have been exposed to a hostile work environment. This includes things like verbal abuse, sexual harassment, threats, humiliating behavior and bullying.

There is a series of trends that seem to arise from studies like these. Individual Trends Less educated workers, those who deal directly with customers, and younger workers are more likely to experience harassment at work. Men are more likely to experience verbal abuse and women are more likely to experience unwanted sexual attention. Career-based Trends Certain industries and career paths are more affected as well. Nurses experience a great deal of hostility from stressed patients and even other nurses. The fast-paced and competitive nature of law firms and sales companies seem to attract certain (hostile) personalities.

Can Social Media Contribute to a Hostile Office? Widespread social media use has significantly impacted how we understand harassment and hostile work environments. Social media websites have provided a new opportunity for self-expression, including negative expressions of harassment and discrimination. Former hostile work environment cases that have been brought up include: setting up a Facebook group to shame a colleague; posting inappropriate photos of a colleague; and sending repeated, uninvited Facebook chats. One way to better protect a company from social media harassment claims is to implement a coherent social media policy. A social media policy can do more than prevent harassment between colleagues. Find out what other useful things you can address with this Social Media Policy Checklist. Also, remind management that negative behavior is the same whether it took place online or offline. Deal with social media harassment the same way you deal with all other harassment.

Case: Benny Boyd Auto Group Hurst held on until November 2012 when he resigned. In 2015, Benny Boyd Auto Group was found guilty of discriminating against a disabled employee and subjecting him to a hostile environment at work. In 2015, Benny Boyd Auto Group was found guilty of discriminating against a disabled employee and subjecting him to a hostile environment at work. Five years earlier, in December 2010, Randall Hurst was offered a position as General Manager of the Benny Boyd dealership in Lubbock, Texas. In addition to an impressive salary, the company promised Hurst that he would receive a partnership role. As a partner, Hurst would have a stake in the store and receive additional compensation for good performance. Randall Hurst’s Diagnosis Nearly six months later, in May of 2011, Randall Hurst was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and his medical condition was disclosed to upper management. Hurst carried on working with the disease for about a year, until March 2012, when he began asking about the promise to be a partner. He was met with hostile comments about his disability and threats about his future with the company. His supervisor allegedly asked: Are you a cripple? And warned: You’re on your last quarter, buddy, since you have MS. Hurst held on until November 2012 when he resigned. After the Resignation

Hurst informed the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of the harassment, denial of partnership, and constructive discharge. After investigating, the EEOC made a claim against Benny Boyd Auto Group for disability discrimination. In February 2015, Hurst won the settlement. The dealership in Lubbock is no longer in business and has been removed from the company website. Before returning to business in the area (if they ever do), the company must: Modify its anti-harassment policy to include disability discrimination Provide training on disability discrimination laws Post a formal notice prohibiting disability discrimination in the workplace

Eliminating Hostile Behaviors Employers run the risk of employees filing lawsuits against them for failing to fix a hostile atmosphere caused by an employee, or even fostering one themselves. If an employee finds that someone else’s behavior is creating a hostile environment for them, it’s best to address the issue early before things get out of hand. Is an Employee the Problem? A workplace should be well-equipped with in-house resources. In many cases, the offending employee doesn’t know that their behavior has offended the victim. Issues like these are relatively simple to resolve. Approach the situation by clearing the lines of communication. Employees should be given the opportunity to report any issues they’re having with other colleagues, and they should feel confident that their complaint will be taken seriously. Develop an internal complaint system

Train managers, supervisors, and HR professionals to detect and resolve hostility at work

Train the right people to effectively investigate complaints Employees should be given the opportunity to report any issues they’re having with other colleagues, and they should feel confident that their complaint will be taken seriously. Approach the situation by clearing the lines of communication. Explain that the harassers behavior is offensive, inappropriate, or discriminatory. Explain that their behavior has someone else uncomfortable and won’t be tolerated in the workplace.

Disciplining an Employee? If problems escalate and an employee takes another colleague to court, the employer can be held liable for not protecting the employee. A Disciplinary Action Form is the documentation and proof you need. Download the Employee Disciplinary Action Form Template