Changing Behavior

A part of my job is to train new employees about the policies and procedures of our company. So, I was going over the definition of harassment and explaining that there are many different forms of harassment from blatant to subtle. I always use the example of a joke that someone tells as subtle harassment and how some people might think it’s funny, but other people don’t. The goal is to make people think about what they say before they say it.

I was wondering today how many people take this from work and apply it to real life. At work, they have the threat of termination over their head to make them think…but does anyone take it a step farther?

Sometimes, I think that I’m a little jaded. Another part of my job is dealing with the employees who don’t listen to me explain our policies. Why wasn’t it okay to use a racial slur or to bring that adult-rated picture to work? Outside of work, I deal with similar comments that are made towards me. I can remind people until I’m blue in the face, but I can’t keep certain members of my family from using the term “Japs” when they are talking about the Japanese. When I say something, they give me that “you’re being too sensitive look.” It’s the same general look that I get from employees when I remind them of the rules.

I like to think, that as time progresses, behavior will change for the better. I guess what I’m really trying to say is “HURRY UP!”