What to do if you Receive Inappropriate Advances from your Boss
Amid a struggling economy, employees are desperate to hang onto their jobs. Workplace tensions are already strained with layoffs, hiring freezes, and cutback hours. Dealing with inappropriate advances from a boss should not be another difficult factor added to anyone's workday. When managers, supervisors and bosses allow their attentions to become more focused on an employee's personal attributes instead of productivity, lines have been crossed.
The workplace should be a safe zone where all employees are able to be productive while feeling pride and even a passion for their work. When a boss begins to initiate inappropriate advances toward an employee, the workplace is no longer safe, and steps must be taken to change the situation.
The employee first needs to establish clearly that his or her boss is making inappropriate advances. Any communication between a boss and employee that can be construed as sexual in nature is an inappropriate advance. The advance may take the form of a touch, dialog or electronic communication.
Employees also need to recognize the touchy-feely boss, a person naturally predisposed to shoulder touches, hand brushes, and back rubbing. This type of person can be touchy without any overt sexual undertones to their actions. If this touching makes you uncomfortable, politely ask your boss to stop. Tell him or her that while you are aware he or she means no harm, any kind of physical contact with a co-worker makes you uncomfortable. If you feel speaking up would jeopardize your job, grin and bear the annoying but innocent touching.
When it is clear your boss is making inappropriate advances, immediately begin to keep a log or journal detailing each instance. Record the time, date, and location, list any witnesses, and describe the advances in a clear, concise manner. Tape any harassing phone calls and save any inappropriate emails or other electronic communications. Do not save them to your work computer, use a portable flash drive.
If his or her advances occur in a semi-public area of the workplace, have a trusted co-worker videotape with a cell phone the instance for additional documentation. If there are other workers who witness the advance(s), ask them to sign a witness statement in your behalf.
Talk to your boss. Be honest and straightforward. Let your boss know you like your job and would like to continue performing it in a productive manner but his or her recent advances were inappropriate. This might be the most difficult conversation you ever have with a boss. Employees that respond to these situations with a calm and reasonable manner, gain the higher ground. By confronting your boss immediately, there is a good chance he or she will become embarrassed by their behavior and want the whole situation to disappear. If your boss reacts with anger and begins making your work-life miserable the next step must be taken.
Talk to your Human Resource manager. Specifically indicate that you are uncomfortable reporting your boss because you really like your job. Let the HR manager know your boss's inappropriate advance has begun to make it difficult for you to perform your job to the best of your capabilities. Explain that you have already confronted your boss and he or she is now retaliating. Larger companies may have an entire Human Resource department that deals solely with employee relations but if your company is smaller you may need to take your concerns directly to your boss's boss. If your boss is the owner or CEO of the company, you may have to confront your boss personally, consider legal representation or even quit.
Employees should never be afraid to report inappropriate advances and behavior in the workplace. Every employee has the right to work in an environment that is safe and free from harassments and dangers. If after filing complaints through the proper a channel, your boss is still making advances, it might be time to look for employment elsewhere. Your emotional and mental well-being are equally or more important than your paycheck.
And when you are asked by your next employer why you left your last job, look them square in the eye and tell them it was due to your former boss's inappropriate advances. Let it be known that you as the employee take a zero tolerance for that kind of behavior.
