That radio character, Don Imus, who got fired for his inappropriate comments? I think I’ve got a few Imuses in my company. How do I get the “good ol’ boys” to toe the line and stop with their insensitive jokes and actions?
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Here’s what you had to say:
- We’ve conducted harassment and sensitivity training using an excellent video called, “It’s About Respect: Recognizing Harassment in a Diverse Workplace.” The video effectively addresses the more subtle types of “Imus” issues. You could design a training curriculum based on the topics covered in it. – L.G.
- This is a tricky thing to deal with because most of these guys (and they are mostly older men) think they are being cute and clever. They don’t see that what they’re doing is malicious or offensive. You have to get the point across that off-color jokes and teasing can balloon into multimillion-dollar lawsuits. – S.E.
- We have established a phrase—“Red light!”—that anyone can use who feels that someone is saying or doing something that makes him or her uncomfortable. It could be unwanted touching, an off-color joke, or a demeaning nickname. Everyone in the company knows that when that phrase is uttered, you cease and desist without any retort. Or you may simply say, “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to offend you.” The company president has backed this policy up a few times, and that’s all it took to get people to take “Red light!” seriously. — R.F.