A presentation I gave to a bank in 2018 on workplace harassment. Workplaces tend to focus on the "big" bullying type cases but overlook the micro aggressions, which contribute to a toxic culture and accumulatively can drive employees away.

1. Be a Man
Death by a
Thousand Cuts
Animah Kosai
A Talk on Workplace Harassment & Sexual Harassment
I wouldn’t wipe my
a#@* with that!
I don’t like women
You’re not fulfilling your role and
are disrespectful to me
You’re no good
All Indians are like that
no one is going to hire you back in the Oil & Gas Industry
Let the Dean cut you down to size and show you the exit door
She’s high maintenance,
Hahaha
I dream of you every night
If you tell anyone, you’ll never
get a job in banking again
Speak
Up

2. Speak
Up Harassment
Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex
(including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic
information. Harassment becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the offensive
conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is
severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable
person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive
EEOC Definition
Examples:
Offensive jokes, name-calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation,
ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and
interference with work performance.
Bullying, isolating colleagues, gossiping.

3. Speak
Up Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature
which:
• violates your dignity,
• makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated and
• creates a hostile or offensive work environment.
UK Citizen’s Bureau Definition
Forms:
Physical
Verbal
Visual
Gestures
Written/Digital
Psychological

4. RAPE
Sexual
Assault
TYPE
IMPACT,FREQUENCY&POWER
Acts with
Consent
Verbal sexual jokes
Asks for sexual favours
promising career progression/
perception of adverse impact if
not given
Suggestive
messages
Date
invitation
Light
unwanted
touching,
hugging
Touching
areas
normally
concealed
Forcing
oneself,
kissing,
squeezing,
rubbing
Flashing,
masturbating
Creating atmosphere where
sexual harassment continues
Threatening
messages
e.g. rape
Explicit
images in
workplace
Cat calls
Gradations of workplace sexual harassment
Fails to act on harassment
reports
Sexual
advances
Sexual hints
Sexual
gesturesLustful staring
STALKING
Consent No Consent
Explicit
images of
self or victim
Flirting
Act is
more
serious
with
more
power
Speak
Up

5. Percentage of People Sexually Harassed
at Work
Percentage
Speak Up Survey
UK
US
EU
Asia Pacific
Singapore
0 17.5 35 52.5 70
Sources:
Speak Up Survey Oct 2017 (65% Malaysia, including UK, US etc.)
Singapore: 2008 AWARE Survey http://www.aware.org.sg/training/wsh-site/14-statistics/
UK: 2016 TUC Survey https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/SexualHarassmentreport2016.pdf
US: 2015 Cosmopolitan Survey https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/19/1-in-3-women-sexually-harassed-work-
cosmopolitan_n_6713814.html
European Union & Asia Pacific: 2011 UN http://endviolence.un.org/pdf/pressmaterials/unite_the_situation_en.pdf
54%
52%
33%
40-50%
30-40%
63%
Speak
Up

6. SPEAK UP SURVEY ON WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT
‣ 62% have been
sexually harassed.
▸ 30% unwanted
touching
▸ 2.6% sexual
assault/rape
‣ 52% verbal
Speak
Up

7. SPEAK UP SURVEY ON WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT
‣ 50% by the boss/
senior person in
the organisation
▸ 26% by an
influential
outsider
▸ 48% by peers
WHO SEXUALLY HARASSED YOU?
Speak
Up

8. SPEAK UP SURVEY ON WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT
40% have a policy
15% give training
19% have a process
10% special training for HR to handle SH reports
14% have a hotline
42% say none/not aware
11% occasional talk
18% non-retaliation policy
9% onboarding training
Speak
Up
WHAT DOES YOUR ORGANISATION HAVE TO ADDRESS SEXUAL HARASSMENT?

9. WHAT DID YOU DO WHEN YOU EXPERIENCED SEXUAL HARASSMENT?
▸ 44% kept quiet
▸ 35% told harasser
it is wrong
▸ 14% told HR/
management
▸ 15% left the
organisation
SPEAK UP SURVEY ON WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENTSpeak
Up

10. WHY DIDN’T YOU REPORT TO HR/ MANAGEMENT?
SPEAK UP SURVEY ON WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT
23% fear harasser will retaliate
11% do not want to relive trauma
31% fear adverse career impact
21% fear not being believed
20% fear being blamed
25% say harasser will influence HR
17% don’t want to get harasser into trouble
46% don’t believe HR will act
Speak
Up

11. So What?

12. Speak
Up
What happens to the company if you ignore
harassment?
• Reputation damaged
• Trust erosion, e.g. government institutions like Parliament and Congress
• Business loss: The Weinstein Company
• Criminal charges: UK and US police investigating Weinstein, Spacey
• Lawsuits: The Weinstein Company - in UK, claim for damages
• Settlements: Since 1997, Congress paid $17 million for 268 harassment/
discrimination claims
• Share value drop:Uber, writes downs as high as 15%
• CEO has to go: Travis Kalanick, Dave McClure
• Terminations: Spacey, Weinstein, Uber fired over 20 after external investigation of
215 claims

13. Speak
Up
• Low morale
• Absenteeism, sick leave, anxiety, depression
• Resignations
• Low productivity, goals not met
• Once high performers lose their shine, become demotivated
• Less likely to pursue ambition, settles by playing safe, leaves the
workforce. Big factor in retaining women as talent
• A toxic workplace, emboldening those who harass
What happens to the employees if you ignore
harassment?

14. When harassment covers wrongdoing

15. Speak
Up

16. TESCO accountants allege being bullied into
manipulating accounts.
Ex CEO, CFO and Manager charged. Trial ongoing

17. Wells Fargo was
ordered by the Labor
Department to pay $5.4
million and rehire a
whistleblower who was
fired after calling the
ethics hotline to report
suspected fraud.
Source: CNN Money
One former Wells Fargo
human resources official
even said the bank had a
method in place to
retaliate against tipsters.
He said that Wells Fargo
would find ways to fire
employees "in retaliation
for shining light" on sales
issues. It could be as
simple as monitoring the
employee to find a fault,
like showing up a few
minutes late on several
occasions, CNN Money

18. What Should I Do?

19. Speak
Up When I witness harassment
• Intervene - say something
• Offer support - practical, emotional
• Counsel the harasser
• Report it
Your options may depend on power dynamics. If you are senior, with HR or
Compliance, it is incumbent upon you to act.
DO NOT
• Stay silent
• Laugh along
• Encourage the harasser

20. Speak
Up When I am harassed
• Inform harasser that this is harassment:
eg, when you call me stupid, I feel undermined and it affects my work performance. If
you continue to do this, it is harassment.
• Document each incident, as detailed as possible, immediately after the incident. E-
mail the details to yourself, trusted colleagues.
• Retain evidence, eg text messages, e-mails.
• Speak to someone for emotional and practical support. Keeping it to yourself can
affect you emotionally and physically.
• Note if you are changing work habits - eg, avoiding the person etc. (Being aware of
how the harassment impacts you).
• Inform your boss
• Report it
DO NOT Stay Silent
Harassers repeat the
behaviour with others

21. Speak
Up Watching the harasser
HARASSER TRAITS BINGO
Distract
Change the
Narrative
Turn attention to
the Victim
Get followers to
laugh at Victim
Blame the Victim Play the Victim Name calling Humiliate
Create conflict/
toxic environment
Intimidate/
threaten
Deny lie
Twist the truth
Gaslight
SPEAK UP

22. Speak
Up When I have harassed
• Apologise as soon as becoming aware that you have crossed the
line (unless the person is traumatised - then express it to HR).
• Accept responsibility. DO NOT deny, make excuses or dismiss the
person’s feelings. Admit you were wrong.
• Be genuine in not repeating it.
• If you have anger management issues, seek help.
• Be conscious of what you say/do
• Get support from a trusted colleague to shadow you and give
feedback

23. Speak
Up When I lead
For Management, HR and
Compliance
• Role model
• Set the tone
• Remind people of policy
• Take action
• Policy
• Process
• Reporting channel
• Investigation
protocol
• Leadership
• Diversity
• Effective training &
awareness
• Regular climate surveys
& reviews
DO NOT ignore harassment
or bury your head in the
sand. Instead of going away,
the workplace gets more
toxic

24. Speak
Up The Speak Up Journey
• Clarity on areas to speak up
• Identifying barriers to speaking up
• Overcoming the barriers
• Learning to listen and receive
feedback
• Creating safe spaces
&
Listen

25. Harassment & Sexual HarassmentSpeak
Up

26. Breaking the
Silence on
Wrongdoing
in Corporations
Speak
Up
SpeakUpAtWork

27. &
Listen
Speak
Up
SpeakUpAtWork
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