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Creating Positive Workplace Vibes...

The hospitality industry is facing renewed scrutiny as alarming new research exposes the heightened risk of sexual harassment among its workforce. A recent study from Sheffield Hallam University has found that hospitality workers in insecure employment are 60% more likely to report experiencing sexual harassment than the national average, with women being twice as likely to report harassment as men.

These findings are supported in a report recently issued by Hospitality Management Degrees that revealed while three in 10 women in the general workforce had been sexually harassed at work, that figure skyrocketed to nine in 10 women within the hospitality sector—highlighting the urgent need for stronger protections and proactive measures to address workplace harassment.

HR managers have long invested time and effort in finding ways of tackling this issue to help ensure employee safety and wellbeing. With searches for ‘sexual harassment’ rising in the UK by +65% (YoY) in the last month, taking total searches per week to over 6,000 (per month), Instant Offices shared some strategies on how HR can best tackle this from the top down.

Identify the root causes
Conduct a thorough assessment to identify the underlying factors contributing to the negative culture. This can involve anonymous surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one interviews with employees to gather their feedback and insights. A tried and trusted technique is to ask "Why?" five times..."Why did X happen?" and when a reason is given, then... "Why did that occur?" and when a reason is given, then... "Why did the person/organisation do that?", etc. and repeat fives times until you get much closer to the real root cause(s) behind an issue. Employers then need to act on what they have gathered, as identifying the root cause is only the beginning of the journey.

Set clear expectations
Define and communicate the desired culture that aligns with the company's values. Establish clear behavioural expectations and ensure that employees understand the consequences of behaviours that are inconsistent with the desired culture. If employees are not compliant with these clear expectations, take action.

Provide leadership training and support
Equip managers with the skills and tools necessary to address and mitigate negative culture. Offer leadership training on effective communication, conflict resolution, and fostering a positive work environment. Support managers in their role as culture ambassadors. A company should ideally have several members of staff available to employees to reach out to in a safe and comfortable environment where they feel they will be listened to and that their concerns will not be brushed off.

Encourage employee feedback and involvement
Create channels for employees to provide feedback, suggestions, and concerns about the culture. Establish mechanisms such as regular surveys, suggestion boxes, or employee feedback sessions to capture insights and involve employees in the culture improvement process. If there is a reoccurring theme, sit down with management on how to resolve this moving forward.

Address toxic behaviours
Promptly address toxic behaviours and situations that undermine the desired culture. Provide training on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and enforce policies that promote respectful behaviour. Take appropriate disciplinary actions when necessary to maintain a healthy work environment. Do not let toxic behaviours go unchecked.

Foster a culture of accountability
Hold individuals accountable for their actions and behaviours. Implement performance management processes that assess cultural fit and values alignment. Recognise and reward employees who demonstrate positive behaviours and contribute to a healthy culture.

Seek external expertise if needed
In complex situations, consider engaging external consultants or HR professionals who specialise in culture transformation. They can provide an objective perspective, guidance, and strategies for combating negative culture effectively.

Nurturing a positive workplace culture and combating negative behaviours in these ways requires ongoing effort, continuous monitoring, as well as commitment from senior leadership and employees across the organisation.