Sexual Harassment: Why are some companies more susceptible?

As recent reports from state capitols to Hollywood to the tech industry make clear, sexual harassment on the job continues to be an all too common. Surveys find that between 40-60 percent of women (and 10 percent of men) say they have experienced such mistreatment at work. This mistreatment can range from quid pro quo sexual coercion exerted by powerful men over women (i.e. demanding sex in return for a job) to hostile work environments created when coworkers tell sexist jokes or when colleagues or clients engage in unwanted touching.   

With the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employment discrimination on the basis of sex became illegal. Since then landmark Supreme Court cases have clarified what constitutes sexual harassment and have determined that employers are liable when it happens. So if sexual harassment has been illegal for decades, and if companies can pay real penalties when their employees misbehave, why does it continue to happen? And why do some industries and organizations seem to be more susceptible to the problem than others?

As I write in The Atlantic, research on sexual harassment has found a repeated pattern – rates of sexual harassment are higher in male dominated occupations, in hierarchical structures, and in organizations where there is greater tolerance for such behavior. 

Male dominated work environments are bad for women for a variety of reasons. When women occupy a token status they often receive less support from coworkers and can face performance pressures from colleagues who doubt their ability to do male-typed tasks. Also at play is that men’s dominance can be threatened when women break into an old boy’s club or take on a role with authority. In these situations, harassment becomes a way to knock women down a peg. In fact, the most common form of harassment is gender harassment, in which victims are demeaned by sexist jokes, obscene gestures, or offensive materials like pornography displayed in the lunch room. The motive behind this kind of behavior is not sexual desire, but to communicate that women don’t belong. 

Indeed, it is women who behave in less feminine and more masculine ways who are more likely to experience such harassment. For example, a study found that men were more likely to send pornographic and offensive images to a woman who expressed feminist beliefs than to a woman who held more traditional viewpoints. Other analysis has found that when men’s rates of unemployment go up, so too do claims of sexual harassment – again indicating that when men’s top-dog status is under threat, harassment is a way to hold on to their power.

Not only is sexual harassment more likely to occur in hyper-masculine environments, but also in ones that are really hierarchical. Large power differentials between levels, like in the military, often create the context in which those in charge can behave badly, while their position shields them from detection or punishment. At the same time, subordinates have little ability to speak up. To be sure, research has found that witnesses are much more reluctant to confront sexist comments when the person saying them holds a higher status than they do, like say their boss. Legitimate fears of retaliation keep victims quiet.

Organizational climate is the biggest factor influencing whether sexual harassment occurs. Organizations where harassment is ignored or where perpetrators only receive a slap on the wrist signals to employees that harassment is tolerated. This leniency can invite further bad behavior. Moreover, employees are not inclined to report incidents because they know their complaints won’t make a bit of difference and may even get them in trouble. 

The good news is that companies can do a lot to address and prevent sexual harassment. Best practices focus on policies, gender equity, and leadership commitment. 

Experts recommend that companies should have strong sexual harassment policies that define what it is, communicate that it won’t be tolerated, and provide information on how to report it. These policies should clearly lay out the disciplinary consequences for perpetrators and ensure that confidentiality will be maintained and retaliation prohibited. Investigations should be timely and corrective action should be taken if complaints are found to be warranted. A study found that the lowest rates of sexual harassment were reported at organizations that widely disseminated and enforced the policy through training and by establishing grievance procedures. In contrast, higher levels of harassment were reported when the policy was just posted on the wall or when there was no policy at all as is the case in almost 70% of small businesses according to one survey. 

To create inclusive workplaces, more women and underrepresented minorities are needed at all levels of an organization. In particular, more women are needed in senior leadership to change the ratio and create greater equity inside companies. 

Ultimately, all of this comes down to whether senior leadership takes this issue seriously or not. When leaders take visible, consistent, and firm stands that sexual harassment won’t be tolerated, people experience less harassment and are more inclined to report it when it occurs. When leaders ignore it, or are perpetrators themselves, then toxic work environments can develop.    

For more on this topic, read my article in The Atlantic: The 3 Things That Make Organizations More Prone to Sexual Harassment

Follow Marianne on Twitter @Coopermarianne and like her on Facebook For more on how families are coping in an uncertain age see Marianne’s book Cut Adrift: Families in Insecure Times.