>On Wed, May 4, 2016 at 11:13 AM, Risker <risker.wp@gmail.com> wrote:... In many settings, including healthcare, higher education, and certain industries, ALL staff are provided with anti-harassment training; it's often treated as an extension of basic health and safety training, and is frequently mandatory.

I would add government sector to that list, especially since WP is more and more partnering with government agencies.


Neotarf, I'd actually question whether there's any validity to the *perception* that training works; in fact, there are a lot of studies that indicate training (particularly ritualized training that is provided without a specific context) is not closely associated with behavioural change. It's only a step above "create a policy". 

I have seen it work over and over, routinely.  A new employee comes in, is given a many-times-xeroxed and barely legible packet to read, and when they finish they are given a paper to sign that they have read the anti-harassment training materials and will abide by the policy.  The packet contains scenarios like complimenting a woman on her dress; it's okay to say she looks nice in the dress, it's not okay to wax poetic about what it does for her figure. The training material also spells out what to do and who do go to in case of harassment, i.e. do they have to say something to the harasser first that their comments are not welcome, etc.before they fill out a harassment form, which will undoubtedly have a form number; also which HR functionary is responsible and what paperwork they have to maintain in the employee file.  I'm still trying to get my head around the "only a step above 'create a policy'" thing.  If something is policy, it is a done deal.
 
What works is regular reinforcement when behaviour lapses, and empowerment of people to reinforce the desired behaviour. 

The behaviour never lapses. I suppose nobody wants that in their personnel file.

I don't understand why the WMF has both an anti-discrimination policy and a privacy policy that they are apparently not interested in enforcing.  But maybe my expectation that "if something is policy, it is a done deal" is based on the kind of accountability that comes with Title 7 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that only applies to employers and employees, in spaces that employers can control.