What entrepreneurs do incorrect with regards to sexual harassment

No one desired to bring it up since it was uncomfortable, awkward and messy.

Early in my legal profession, a senior partner on the firm where I worked began harassing me. He insisted on long hugs that lasted an extended time. He told me he loved me. He commented on my body and garments. He was emotionally volatile and sometimes controlling. At one point he yelled that I used to be “either stupid or trying to steal his customer.” When I used to be upset, he used that moment as an excuse to “comfort” me.

I had worked hard to construct my profession. I liked to return over early and would sometimes come over on the weekends to get ahead. As time went on, I thought of how I could avoid being alone within the office with him. I started adjusting my schedule to accommodate his presence.

What made it worse was avoidance from others. Some partners looked as if it would know what was happening, but they spoke in code. One said to me, “You should work for me because I only want you for your brain.” A partner I respected once said that girls who discuss sexual harassment accomplish that to get attention. The message was clear: This was uncomfortable. It can be easier if I could do it quietly.

I finally left. The experience haunted me. I felt guilty for not doing something greater to guard future victims, however the shame and fear silenced me.

Workplace safety requires open conversations beyond HR

Business owners often consider that they’re combating sexual harassment within the workplace in the event that they have a policy in place and supply annual training through human resources. But compliance is just not the identical as workplace safety.

Now I own an organization that supports victims of sexual harassment within the workplace. I see harassment stagnate and escalate. It rarely starts with something outrageous. It begins with a comment a couple of person’s appearance. A sexual joke. A hand on a lower back. A personal text message after work. Each incident is so small that a manager can classify it as harmless.

The reality is: When executives soften their language to avoid unpleasantness or ignore sexual jokes, they create legal blind spots. If the behavior is described as “harmless flirting” and never as boundary crossing, the corporate is already signaling how seriously it takes the problem. Employees hear this message. This also applies to harassers.

Serial perpetrators depend on this ambiguity. They test boundaries. When there are not any or minor consequences, they press on and infrequently turn into higher at covering them up. When multiple employees are affected, the financial and reputational risk is way greater than if the primary incident had been clearly addressed.

Leadership sets the tone, not HR

Human resources play a very important role, but they can not alone carry the cultural weight of a corporation. Employees are oriented towards owners and managers. When leadership avoids direct conversations about workplace safety, all the company follows suit. Sexual harassment is a subject that owners and managers should discuss recurrently.

One concrete thing owners can do is to say something in that moment once they see something. For example, if an worker comments on one other worker’s body, state clearly that that is inappropriate and violates the sexual harassment policy. If someone makes a sexual joke, shut it down immediately and call it what it’s. If you see an worker in an impaired condition, e.g. For example, if one other worker’s hand is on her back or waist, make up an excuse for her to affix you in one other room. Tell her that this person shouldn’t engage in such behavior and that it is just not okay. Ask them how you may support them. Of course, speak to your counterpart individually as soon as possible.

Being prepared to handle sexual harassment head-on requires planning and preparation. Ask yourself and your leadership team what happens when an worker reports inappropriate behavior from a high performer. If the response is to guard revenue first after which address the behavior, that call will ripple outwards.

The people who find themselves most frequently targeted are neither weak nor disinterested. They are sometimes high achievers with strong ethics and performance. They are assets. If they leave because leadership didn’t act, the loss is just not just moral. It is prepared to be used.

Early clarity prevents costly consequences and mass exodus

I used to be recently reminded of how much some leaders wish to avoid direct conversations about harassment. When I heard that lots of my clients were experiencing harassment while traveling for business, I contracted with a public airport to report it an commercial that read: “When they called it harmless flirting, we called it Exhibit A.“The airport refused to run it on the grounds that it may be offensive to men and that the material was too sensitive. It took over six months, a federal lawsuit, and a judge who found that the airport had violated my First Amendment rights to get the airport to conform to run my ad.

This case was about public speaking, however the lesson also applies to personal firms. If the mere mention of harassment seems too inflammatory, it’s an indication that the organization has prioritized comfort over safety.

As an entrepreneur, you can not afford this approach. Addressing inappropriate behavior early is just not about creating conflict; it’s about stopping it. Clear expectations, documented responses, and consistent enforcement reduce the likelihood of escalation. They also show employees that management cares about safety and fairness.

In the short term, silence can feel easier. It avoids difficult conversations and protects powerful figures. However, it also increases the likelihood of subsequent formal complaints, litigation and public scrutiny.

No one desired to bring it up since it was uncomfortable, awkward and messy.

Early in my legal profession, a senior partner on the firm where I worked began harassing me. He insisted on long hugs that lasted an extended time. He told me he loved me. He commented on my body and garments. He was emotionally volatile and sometimes controlling. At one point he yelled that I used to be “either stupid or trying to steal his customer.” When I used to be upset, he used that moment as an excuse to “comfort” me.

I had worked hard to construct my profession. I liked to return over early and would sometimes come over on the weekends to get ahead. As time went on, I thought of how I could avoid being alone within the office with him. I started adjusting my schedule to accommodate his presence.