WEBVTT

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I recently had a complaint
regarding harassment

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where this employee cam
to me and shared everything

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that was going on -

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but didn't want anything
to happen to the other person

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and wanted all of this kept
between the two of us.

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So, what do I do
when that happens?

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This is the single biggest
mistake management makes,

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letting the person making
the complaint dictate

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what the next action should be.

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A manager or supervisor's duty
is to the workforce as a whole,

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and if the manager doesn't
remedy the situation,

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the harasser could be out
there doing it to others.

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I know of a case where multiple
women in an organization

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were going individually
to their supervisors

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complaining of a harassment
from the same guy.

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Each of them said in effect,
"Don't tell upper management,

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just make sure it stops."

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The issues were resolved, and upper
management was never told.

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Each manager thought
it was a problem,

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isolated to the accused and the victim.

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In reality, because the managers
never reported the problems,

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the accused was just moving
from one victim to the next,

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with each manager believing
that this was his first offense.

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Another thing that often happens
is that the alleged victim says,

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"I don't want him to know I complained,
so you can't disclose my name."

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While it is important
to maintain confidentiality

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and only disclose information
about the complaint

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to those with the need to know.

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Managers should never promise
an employee, absolute confidentiality.

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Terry, I will do my very best to
protect your privacy on this.

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But as a manager, I have
a responsibility to report this

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and I'll have to include both
your names on that report.

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This way, we can make sure
it won't happen to anyone else.

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Remember, you're not betraying
a trust by reporting the incident.

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You're fulfilling your
responsibility as a manager-

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to your company
and your employees.

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Another responsibility you have
after an employee complains,

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is to be careful not to do anything
that might look like retaliation.

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Retaliation is taking action against
an employee such as a demotion,

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pay cut, or layoff,
because they complained.

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Now if an employee needs to be laid
off for legitimate business reasons,

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you can, but only with the advice
of an expert in Human Resource law.