Harassment in the Workplace

Workplace harassment refers to any form of hostile actions towards the employee that results in difficulties in performing their legitimate work or makes them feel that they are working in an unsecured environment.

The harassment may be in different forms including bias against race, color, gender, age, culture, region or sexual orientation.

Whatever form it may be, harassment in the workplace is an evil and spoils the entire environment.

It is a social problem rather than individual and a common approach is needed to counter such discriminations at workplace.

Many movements have passed legislations to protect employees from workplace harassments.

Forms of workplace harassments

Harassment in workplace may be in different forms. A colleague may repeatedly mock you for your appearance, race, color or religion. In some cases, the supervisor singles out you and assigns odd jobs that normally do not belong to you.

The most common form of harassment at workplace faced by female employees is sexual harassment by the superiors or colleagues.


Man chauvinistic minded superiors and colleagues harass female employees by teasing or commenting on their behaviors, appearance or the way they perform their jobs.

The ugliest form of sexual harassment is unwelcoming sexual advancements, physical and mental torture with sexual remarks and actions.

Counter measures

Harassment in workplace, whatever form it may be, needs to be dealt severely.

Countries around the world enacted laws to check the workplace harassments.

International Labour Organization prescribed tough provisions to safeguard the employees from workplace harassments.

Many civil right groups work as a watchdog and fight with the concerned authorities on behalf of affected persons. Companies frame rules and implement them rigorously to deal with harassment in workplace.

Labour unions and employees associations fight tooth and nail to prevent workplace harassments.

In spite of all these measures, the workplace harassments do exist in one form or the other.

This social evil can be eliminated completely only when each individual recognizes the impact it creates on the affected person.