A story in my local area illustrates what can happen when workplace managers fail to create an environment that is free of sexist remarks and other forms of sexist behavior.
Four female corrections officers who worked in our county jail have filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the county sheriff’s office. They say that they were subjected to sexual jokes and innuendo by male co-workers, retaliated against when they filed complaints with managers, and denied promotions.
The women’s charges have been given added weight by a report from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission concluding that that the evidence supports their claims that they experienced sexual harassment, degrading treatment, and a hostile work environment.
I find troubling our sheriff and county administrator’s response to the suit. The sheriff responded, “I can tell you that we adamantly and feverishly deny all of the allegations and can’t wait for our day in court. The sooner the better.” And our county administrator has declined comment. Obviously, the defendants are innocent until proven guilty. But what our local leaders did not say is revealing: “As county leaders, we oppose discrimination and harassment in county offices. We do not tolerate sexist behavior, and we have policies in place that prevent sexual harassment and discrimination.”
The costs of our county’s lack of leadership on gender equality now include the end of the careers of four women and a possible cost to county taxpayers of hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars. Workplace leaders who believe that sexist comments are harmless and that women should simply “laugh them off” are setting the stage for other forms of sexual harassment. When organizations treat sexist comments as routine and ignore complaints about them, they create an environment that makes even worse treatment of women possible.
Those who stand up to sexist comments and other forms of harassment are the canary in the coal mine. Their efforts to end sexist remarks are a warning that an organization is not taking gender equality seriously enough. But unlike the mining’s industry’s canary, no one has to die to fix this problem—it just requires leaders who are willing to put an end to sexist behavior.
Steve
