The topic of sexual harassment has saturated public awareness over recent years. Newspaper headlines and evening news bulletins heave with new allegations and updates on hearings. Against this backdrop, sexual harassment might feel like an overwhelming topic to address in our organisations – but there has never been a more important time to make meaningful changes. With new legislation already in place, organisations must take swift action to ensure they’re doing their duty.
A raft of recent legislative changes require all workplace leaders to think critically and compassionately. Sexual harassment may be the manifestation of more systemtic issues, but addressing its root cause can generate positive change that can infiltrate the whole cultural system.
Advocates and experts in workplace culture
Body: Skye and Al Charry are experts in workplace culture change and the founders of SAC Consulting. They’ve worked, led and consulted for a range of diverse industries, from agriculture and forestry to academia, military and law.
Over more than 20 years, Skye’s career has been dedicated to practice, research and advocacy on issues of gender equity, law and rural culture. She is a highly engaging keynote speaker, sought-after workplace consultant and is also an associate professor of law. Her book ‘Whispers from the Bush- The Workplace Sexual Harassment of Australian Rural Women’ pioneered national understanding around bush culture and gender equity.
Al spent 27 years leading from the front as a commissioned army officer, serving at the highest level of operational command. Al has trained Australian soldiers to respond to natural disasters and combat and was Aide-de-Camp to the Governor-General. Today, he advocates for adaptive, courageous leadership in order to build a thriving workplace culture. In his role as Managing Director of SAC Consulting, Al builds mentoring programs, facilitates workshops and delivers a powerful call to action for people to step into their moral courage, trust and accountability in creating healthier, safer workplaces.
Skye and Al both grew up in the Central West and share genuine passion for Australian culture – its rich symbolism, unique beauty and way of life, but most of all, its people.
From the bush to the big cities, we see this cultural tapestry woven throughout every organisation. It shines through in the support we give our fellow workmates, from the factory floor to the office kitchen – the fun we have to make the day pass a little bit quicker, the pat on the back when we do a good job, and when we don’t, the reassuring nod that says “you’ll get it next time.”
As Australians, we don’t shy away from hard work or hard conversations. And now is the time for both.
Three factors that allow sexual harassment to persist
Body: Over decades of research and fieldwork, and particularly the work that went into writing Whispers from the Bush, we discovered three key factors that must be considered to adequately address sexualised behaviour in the workplace.
Sexual harassment persists in many organisations because it is:
- Underestimated by those who choose to perpetrate it
- Under-reported (for situational reasons) by those who might experience it
- Unopposed by those with a duty to take action to prevent and respond to it.
We must address each of these issues to effect holistic cultural solutions of lasting impact, as each of them contribute to the next one in a circular way.
The underestimated
One of the main reasons sexual harassment persists in many organisations is because the people who choose to perpetuate it often underestimate the deep and painful impact it can have on the recipient. What might be intended to be a ‘harmless joke’ or a ‘bit of fun’ may cause humiliation, offence or intimidation to another person in the workplace.
There can be generational aspects at play, such that the norms, attitudes, language and behaviour that were acceptable by former workplace standards over the years can infiltrate the modern workplace.
When we underestimate the impact of sexual harassment and dismiss it as ‘no big deal’, we invalidate the feelings and experiences of those who endure it.
The under-reported
Workplace data shows that sexual harassment is prevalent in many organisations. The Australian Human Rights Commission’s fifth national survey of sexual harassment reveals that one in three (33%) of workers have experienced sexual harassment at work in the last five years. But less than one in five (17%) go on to make a formal complaint.
Many people who experience sexual harassment feel that it’s easier not to make a fuss. Like the frog in the boiling pot, we can develop a tolerance for surviving incremental behaviour, accepting that it is simply ‘typical’ for that workplace culture.
While writing Whispers form the Bush, Skye met one senior female mining manager told me, “I know this is inappropriate but if I spoke up every time, they wouldn’t take me seriously and it would be like crying wolf all the time. In a way, I reserve that process so as not to waste my ammunition.” For her, going to work feels like a battlefield.
While social movements and recent landmark cases are encouraging those who experience sexual harrassment to come forward and hold their perpetrators accountable, many are still navigating blurred lines – where disclosing an incident becomes defamation; where the wrong approach to addressing an issue becomes a genuine risk of liability.
The unopposed
Finally, sexual harassment is so common in some industries that it frequently goes unchallenged and unopposed by the people in charge. In many cases, sexual harassment is seen as a low priority issue with managers and employers failing to recognise their duty of care to provide a safe working environment for all.
In our interviews with leaders, many reflect similar sentiments: “There is a list of tasks as long as my arm to get through before sundown, and dealing with ‘hurt feelings’ or ‘thin skin’ is nowhere near the priority”. Most are unaware of their exposure to damages for sexual harassment that might happen under their supervision.
But with the new positive duty on employers to actively prevent sexual harassment, there will be no excuse for letting it persist.
Steps to take before December 2023
In December last year, amendments were made to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) that places a new positive duty on employers to actively prevent workplace sexual harassment. The 12-month grace period is quickly coming to an end, so organisations must act now to ensure compliance.
Here are three key steps organisations can take to get the ball rolling:
- Conduct a review of existing policies and processes
It’s vital to start with a baseline. Understand the nature of your organisation’s current policies and compare them to the rules laid out in the legislation. Identify the gaps and begin to make a list of addressable opportunities. - Create an action plan to address the problems at the core
Whether it’s a training day, workshop or ongoing program, it’s important to take real, tangible action to uplift the culture in your workplace to prevent instances of sexual harassment.
Seek support from sexual harassment experts
Wading through the legal jargon to understand your responsibilities is no easy feat. So, it’s worthwhile enlisting the help of an objective subject matter expert to support your organisation through these changes.
How we can support you
With decades of combined experience across a range of contexts and industries, we’re here to help you take meaningful action to prevent sexual harassment in your workplace. From assessment to implementation, we can work with stakeholders across your business to ensure you’re meeting your new legal obligations.
Most importantly, as part of our process, we’ll help uplift your organisational culture, creating a safe, respectful environment that retains the richness of your workplace culture without the harm.
We offer workshops, policy evaluation, culture assessment and business action plans that cater to your industry and professional context. Because we know that meaningful change requires a tailored and considered approach.
If you’d like to work with us, please reach out.
In the meantime, listen to the latest episode of our podcast ‘Whispers from the Bush’ or pick up your copy of the book ‘Whispers from the Bush’, available at all good bookstores.
Warmly,
Skye and Al
