Addressing GBVH and Building Respectful Workplaces
Develop policies and procedures to recognize and reduce the impacts of gender-based violence and sexual harassment (GBVH), and promote respectful workplaces.
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TOOL SUITE 4
WHAT’S IN THE TOOL SUITE?
This tool suite provides 15 practical tools and guidance notes to address GBVH as a workplace issue and build respectful workplaces by improving employee and community well-being.
Benefits of creating respectful workplaces
GBVH MITIGATION PROMOTES STAFF WELLBEING
GBVH and respectful workplace issues have a significant negative impact on a company’s bottom line, leading to absenteeism, increased health & safety risks, reputational damage, and high staff turnover. Respectful workplaces and GBVH mitigation and response promotes staff wellbeing and boosts productivity.
TOOL SUITE 4
HOW TO USE THIS TOOL SUITE
This tool suite includes a menu of tools for companies to choose from. The priority should be providing a safe workplace by addressing bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) within the organization, and prioritizing putting survivor care first. Companies can then build on this foundation to support employees by responding to domestic or sexual violence outside the workplace.
What is the Impact of GBVH on Your Business and Community?
These tools will help companies better understand their GBVH challenges and opportunities.
- Use the roadmap to get an overview of how your organization can address GBVH as a workplace issue and build respectful workplaces that improve employee and community well-being.
- Read the business case to understand how GBVH affects your business, employees, and the communities in which you operate.
- Access guidance on finding and assessing GBVH data specific to your company and the legal obligations that may apply to your company.
- Research what supports are available for survivors and perpetrators of GBVH in the locations that your business operates.
- Conduct a gender safety audit. For an overview of gender smart safety and a case study, see Tool 4.6.
- Collect data through employee engagement mechanisms. Let your approach to measurement be guided by a focus on the survivor-centered approach – i.e. empowering the employee by prioritizing their rights, needs, and wishes. Make respect, confidentiality, and safety the core objectives of all interventions (see box 4I)
- Adapt the sample questions to include questions about worker safety and perceptions in your employee engagement surveys. Since you should not ask your employees about their personal experiences of GBVH, you must hire an expert if you want to conduct interviews or survey your employees.
- Access a sample term of reference (ToR).
- If you are an IFC client, you will receive specialized support from IFC E&S specialists linked to IFC performance standards. Summary available here.
How Can You Take Action Against GBVH and Build Respectful Workplaces?
Based on the understanding developed from the ‘Assess’ tools, the ‘Address’ tools empower companies to take action against GBVH and build a respectful workplace. All activities should be based on a survivor-centered approach (See Box 4I).
- Ensure leadership commitment by using the the business case to engage your leadership team.
- Checklist to publicly commit to address GBVH and model respectful behavior.
- Identify key staff to be focal points for GBVH and ensure they receive appropriate training.
- Develop/review policies and reporting and investigation mechanisms.
- Build awareness about the company’s GBVH commitment and initiatives.
- Support self-care for employees facing GBVH issues.
How Can You Institutionalize GBVH Initiatives for Lasting Change?
Monitor progress and institutionalize mechanisms to ensure continued improvement and sustained progress to address GBVH.
- Maintain a confidential record of complaints and actions taken, including details of support to survivors and disciplinary actions taken. Adjust actions at the company level as needed based on lessons learned.
- Track changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior using a theory of change. Be aware that the work of changing culture is often complex and long-term, and therefore requires time and continued efforts.
- Collect data through employee engagement mechanisms.
Fast Facts
GBVH AND RESPECTFUL WORKPLACES
Workplace violence and harassment are pervasive, and affect all countries, occupations, and work arrangements.
1 in 3
1 in 3
One in three women globally report experiencing either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or sexual violence by a non-partner in their lifetime.
Source: UN Women
60%
60%
GBVH can affect the workplace culture and lead to employee disengagement. Disengaged workers have 49% more accidents, 60% more errors and defects, and 37% higher absenteeism.
Source: HBR
50%
50%
Unaddressed GBVH issues can be responsible for up to a 50% increase in voluntary staff turnover, creating a productivity drain and low morale in the workplace.
Source: HBR
EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDIES
