„‚ CONDITIONS THAT HINDER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

It is becoming more and more obvious that women are an integral part of the work
force. It is equally obvious that many people, both male and female, can benefit from
training that is designed to facilitate the acceptance and development of women on the
job.
MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS ALSO NEED TRAINING
Business owners, managers, and supervisors also have much to learn. Businesses must
establish policies regarding sexual discrimination and sexual harassment and must
convey those policies to all employees and supervisors. Both supervisors and
organizations can be sued if sexual harassment occurs on the job, even if they were not
aware of it, because it is their responsibility to see that it does not occur.
Managers and supervisors must understand, communicate, model, and enforce the
organization’s policies. They also must be trained in the procedures to be followed in
receiving complaints, investigating them, and enforcing policies. Moreover, they must
establish an atmosphere in the workplace in which people are not afraid to ask for
guidance or to report harassment. They also must ensure that there are no reprisals,
either for the alleged harasser or the harassee, while the complaint is being investigated
and that there are no reprisals for the harassee or for any witnesses afterward.
In addition to establishing policies and procedures, organizations must require that
supervisors treat all employees (including complainants) with respect and dignity. It has
been suggested that some organizations may want to train some supervisors or workers
as change-agent seeds—people (men and women) who take on the responsibility for
calling subtle or not-so-subtle instances of discrimination or harassment to the
offender’s attention. Of course, this should be maintained as a learning experience and
not be allowed to become a “Gestapo-like” operation.
UNDERSTANDING OF ISSUES LEADS TO GREATER PRODUCTIVITY
Much interpersonal training is based on the assumption that effective communication
and clarification of differences contribute to increased understanding, which leads to
greater harmony and increased ability to focus on the task. In any training session
designed to explore and clarify male/female issues, an emphasis should be placed on
listening and feeling free to express feelings about those issues. This may be easier for
women to do than it is for men; consequently, helping the male participants to express
their beliefs, attitudes, and feelings is one of the trainer’s major goals. Similarly, the
trainer must ensure that the women have the opportunity to express their views and are
not overruled or cut off by the men, who may not be used to such sharing.
Some of the training objectives in such a situation are as follows:
■ To increase listening skills;
■ To become aware of one’s own values and assumptions;
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The Pfeiffer Library Volume 6, 2nd Edition. Copyright ©1998 Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer