Workplace sexual harassment depletes women

E-book: How to Report the Boss

One tragic consequence of workplace sexual harassment is that it depletes a woman’s supply of reputational capital.

I say this because a good professional reputation is a precious resource. It plays a critical role in the process of obtaining a promotion and earning a higher salary.

All too often, men feel entitled to romantic attention from women in the workplace. Even worse, men often develop the belief that women at work want romantic attention.

Surely, women relish any communication that we are desirable? Wrong, we don’t.  Women go to work to prove that they can work, not to obtain proof of their sexual desirability.

What happens when a bright,  talented woman resists her boss’s sexual advances, let alone if she tells HR about the situation?

This is what usually happens.  The boss destroys her reputation. He gossips to others that she’s not as capable as she seems; she’s not a team player,  and she needs to stay in her current position and mature. She’s just not ready for a promotion.

The road to shattered careers is paved with women who refused sexual advances and told the HR department about it.

Working women, especially those in male dominated fields, must be confident, alert, and supported in order to deal with sexual harassment.

Write warning letters to men who make unwelcome sexual advances, rather than verbally telling them off.

Send human resources a list briefly identifying the unwelcome advances you received. Calling human resources as your initial step is a shaky move. Draft and send in your own complaint first, second get a lawyer, and third talk with HR.