Effects of Workplace Harassment

Workplace harassment could have significant negative effects on both the individuals experiencing it, other colleagues and the overall work environment. The effects can be spiritual, emotional, physical, and psychological, impacting the well-being and productivity of the affected employees. Some effects of workplace harassment include:

• Emotional and Psychological Impact: Harassment can cause depression and mental health difficulties. This leads to loss of confidence and self-esteem which instantly affect the staffs’ productivity.
• Adverse health issues eg High blood pressure, extreme burnout. Physical harassment could lead to physical disabilities
• Reputation damage: If workplace harassment is not adequately addressed, it can lead to negative publicity and damage the company's reputation both internally and externally. Bad news spread like fire and it is expensive to restore broken reputation.
• Legal and financial consequences: Failure to address workplace harassment can result in costly legal battles, settlements, and potential fines for the organization.

Creating a safe and supportive work environment is vital for maintaining employee well-being and company’s success. Positive work environment contributes to increased productivity, innovation, creativity and employees’ loyalty. Some of the effects have life-long impact, create a culture that eradicates any form of harassment. Harassment is like rotten potato in a bag, even if you hide where it is, you cannot hide the smell.