As women around the world speak out against sexual harassment, executives in every industry are being forced to confront sexual discrimination in the modern workplace. This revolution is long overdue, but changing office culture will require much more than traditional box-ticking approaches.
NEW YORK – The wave of high-profile sexual harassment cases that began with revelations from Hollywood is having a profound impact on far less glamorous work environments. Just as major film studios have been forced to take action against abuse, a similar revolution – powered by the #MeToo movement of women speaking out – is sweeping workplaces everywhere.
It has been terrible to learn of the abuse that women suffered at the hands of powerful men like Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, and Al Franken. But it is also deeply encouraging to see the corporate world take this issue seriously, by attempting to create a “shared future” for their female employees. The collective response to the #MeToo movement could mark a turning point in the way employers think about sexual harassment and other issues involving gender – like pay and power.
But the workplace revolution is far from over. New strategies are needed to encourage healthy interactions among employees. When handled properly, gender equality promotes business output and productivity, whereas sexual discrimination, if ignored, can destroy an office culture – and so much more.
NEW YORK – The wave of high-profile sexual harassment cases that began with revelations from Hollywood is having a profound impact on far less glamorous work environments. Just as major film studios have been forced to take action against abuse, a similar revolution – powered by the #MeToo movement of women speaking out – is sweeping workplaces everywhere.
It has been terrible to learn of the abuse that women suffered at the hands of powerful men like Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, and Al Franken. But it is also deeply encouraging to see the corporate world take this issue seriously, by attempting to create a “shared future” for their female employees. The collective response to the #MeToo movement could mark a turning point in the way employers think about sexual harassment and other issues involving gender – like pay and power.
But the workplace revolution is far from over. New strategies are needed to encourage healthy interactions among employees. When handled properly, gender equality promotes business output and productivity, whereas sexual discrimination, if ignored, can destroy an office culture – and so much more.