Society faced the concept of sexual harassment not so long time ago. Sexual harassment is not only the desire of the offender d to have sex, not only a threat to the work, but also jokes, anecdotes, hints, indecent touching, any action that is unacceptable for a decent woman. A woman has the right to expect decent standards of behavior at work, which should not include a sexual behavior.
Media and public pay more attention to the problem of sexual harassment. In the past it was considered as a personal problem or disowned. It left no choice for the victim except dismissal.
The greatest risk of sexual abuse is among women working in small businesses, and new employees. They are afraid of losing their jobs more than other workers. They have not mastered their workplace yet.
Paula is a new employee of a medium-sized U.S. company. She has been working there during last three months, and she has proved herselfto be a good worker.. She is the first woman, who obtained a position of management trainee. She has been working professionally during the first two months. After that, the manager of the company noticed deterioration in Paula's work. Steve who was the Paula's manager asked her what was wrong. She replied that she has been continually harassed by another worker Richard. Steve promised her to do something.
The goal of this paper is to explore the best solution to situation. To achieve this goal, the paper has been organized into several sections, in which two alternatives of Steve behavior will be investigated.
In order to answer the question: 'What should be done in this situation?' two alternatives can be considered. The first decision is to conduct an internal investigation and to fire Richard. The analysis of the decision should be done. This decision will affect not only Richard, Paula and Steve but many more people. According to statistics, 42% of women in America have been subjected of sexual harassment. Imagine that all the companies that had faced this problem would take a similar decision. On the other hand, Richard is a good manager in production. If all companies dismiss such workersthousands of qualified workerswill be on the street. It may not be a positive influence on the national economy as well. The increase of the unemployment rate would create additional pressure on state budgets, because of the increase of social payments, and the decline of taxes and fees. A shortage of GDP, the backwardness of actual GDP from potential would be the other result of the increase of unemployment.
Non-economic consequences of the mass dismissal of workers of social harassment will be social, psychological, and political consequences. At the macro level, they will come in the form of increase of social tension, which can cause political clashes. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, explained the reason for the development and implementation of the New Deal policy as a way out of the Great Depression (the main problem of which was unemployment), wrote that his actions would prevent revolution of despair. Indeed, the unstable political events are related, as a rule, with a high level of social tension in the country.
Therefore, this decision of the company at the macro level will not lead to a better society, but rather to an increase of the level of social tension, undermining of the moral and ethical principles.
If we consider the consequences of this decision at the firm level, it would have a variety of effects. Because the dismissal would occur due to real action, the staff would take it as fair decision. The result of it will be introduction of discipline within staff.. Potential or actual victims of sexual harassment would feel safe. This decision will create an image of the company with a high level of discipline. And any positive image of the company usually exacerbates the position of competitors in the market and attracts new customers and suppliers.
But the overall level of morality and ethics of the company would remain unchanged. The company would be perceived as a firm with administrative and disciplinary principles, not moral, because dismissal is an administrative measure that does not affect the personal values. It corporates the spirit and cultivates person.
On an individual level the consequences of this decision should be considered. It should be mentioned that the decision of dismissing Richard would be fair from the Paula's position and beneficial for her. As a result of his dismissal level of his morality would not change. Inability to find work during the long period of time would lead to inferiority, psychological stress, despair, nervous breakdowns, cardio-vascular diseases, loss of friends, the collapse of the family.
The loss of a stable source of income would push Richard to offense and provoke antisocial behavior. Before further considering of this decision, the alternative Steve's solution and its impact on all levels should be explored.
Steve should try to take a comprehensive solution that would involve several steps. Richard is a good worker, who should not be fired. But the indifferent behavior of the management is unacceptable as well.
It is important to improve the morality of Richard and other staff. This would prevent similar situations in the future. The solution for this situation will be an introduction of special courses for Richard to improve his morality and to talk with Richard personally. Steve should suggest for Richard decide to terminate sexual harassments, apology and reconciliation with Paula and regular course visits or to imply administrative action, dismissal, the institution of the criminal case. Besides, the company should provide telephone hotline and handbook for such situations.
The decision at the macro level (if all firms with similar problems would do the same) would have better effects than the former. The level of morality of society would rise, and that always increases productivity.
At the firm level, this solution also would be seen better idea than the former. Staff would feel safe because of the absence of the unexpected layoffs. In this case, the changes would not be conducted on the external administrative level, but on the internal.
Staff awareness some personal values would also increase. Corporate spirit of the company would be better because of co-education, which would improve the company's image. At the individual level, this solution also would reach better results. It would be beneficial for Paula, because she would work comfortably as well as the other staff.
Therefore, the second variant of behavior is preferable. It can produce greatest good for the greatest number of people. This approach would change people from the inside, not just to punish the external manifestations of internal evil. It would bring minimal harm. It would also maximize the overall benefit for the firm and the staff. Individual approach always protects the rights of a person and provides the opportunity to change. The possibilities not only to make profit but to do a labor of love and have a sense of achievement are the signs of the best job.
