Everybody deserves to feel safe in the workplace, yet many people across the country feel quite the opposite. Many feels like they are left to deal with a hostile workplace.
Workplace safety includes physical and mental safety. You should be able to go to work every day knowing that you won’t be physically harmed or a victim of workplace discrimination.
Every employer should have anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies in place to protect their employees. These policies cover the protocols and procedures surrounding discrimination, physical assault, sexual harassment, and equality rights.
Should you find yourself discriminated against in any way, you have every right to search for “religious discrimination lawyers near me” or lawyers specializing in the area that you require, to seek legal help and advice on the matter.
However, workplace policies often don’t cover hostile environments. Employers aren’t responsible by law for hostility between their employees or workplace disagreements.
If you and another employee don’t get along, you may be able to avoid each other and continue working on your own projects. But if you feel that your workplace environment has become too hostile and you no longer feel comfortable at work, it’s important to do something about it.
Here are some of the important steps that you need to take to resolve harassment in the workplace or when having to deal with a hostile workplace.
Ask Your Manager for Different Work Arrangements
If there is a particular individual that is making you feel uncomfortable, you might be able to resolve the hostility by switching up your work arrangements. Ask your manager if you can move to a new seat in the office or a completely different department if necessary.
Alternatively, ask if you can change the days or hours that you work to avoid crossing paths with the other employee. You could also inquire about remote working to avoid going into the office altogether when having to deal with a hostile workplace.
Inform the Human Resources Team
You might not want to speak with your manager directly about the issue if you are having to deal with a hostile workplace. If so, let your HR department know what’s going on. They may be able to adjust your work arrangements to resolve the issue or send a warning to the employee who is making you feel uncomfortable at work.
If the hostility doesn’t end after the HR team has issued a warning to the individual or group of individuals involved, they may need to take further action against the employee. The HR department might dismiss the other employees if their behavior is discriminatory or harmful.
Try to Resolve the Issue Yourself
When having to deal with a hostile workplace, sometimes, you don’t need to escalate the issue to your seniors. You can attempt to resolve the issue yourself by addressing the person or people involved.
The other people involved might not know that they’re making you feel uncomfortable and you might even be guilty of reciprocating hostility toward them, whether subconsciously or not. Simply speaking to them could be the solution to the problem and might be enough to resolve the hostile environment.
You don’t need to be best friends with them but addressing the situation may put you both at ease, so you can amicably continue with working in as comfortably as possible.