Sexual Harassment Training

dmartenson

I need help. Over the past three years I have given SH training to all employees, new employees as they are hired, and refresher training each year to everyone. The time has come for our annual company-wide meeting and I have been asked to "do the thing" again.

Most of our ee's have had this training 2-3 times now, and really don't want to listen to the same old lecture.

Does anyone out there have any suggestions on how to make this fun for a change? What do you guys do when the training becomes so repetitious everyone groans when they see this item on the meeting agenda - again?

I am not a "trained" trainer, I just do the best I can - but even I am bored with the topic. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Don D

One thing you might do is buy or borrow from your attorney a good video on the subject. That tends to hold interest and force a bit of thought sometimes when our presentations get to be 'same ole same ole'.

bsa

Check your local library for training material, they may even have a video available.

Cinderella

We borrow a video from our state's dept of labor. It is (surprisingly) very good-- shows many different examples of sexual harassment and talks about "grey areas" and "extremely casual work environments" etc.
You might want to even peruse some newsletters (from M. Lee Smith or others) because they often write about recent case rulings in regard to this subject. Maybe study up on a recent case and use it as an example (ie a company similar in size or industry to yours, or even one in your region of the country would hit home the most I think). Either way, don't dispare. It may seem ho-hum-we-know-all-this-thanks-already BUT this is an extremely important issue...it can cost businesses a lot of money AND their reputation. It can cost individual employees (whether victims, perpatrators or falsely accused) even more.

Cinderella

March22Collector

When our training became boring, I tried a new approach. At our monthly company meeting, instead of doing the same old training ritual, we made it into a game. We played "Safety Jeopardy". I had each member of the meeting draw a number out of a hat at the beginning of the meeting, and then randomly called three numbers. These three employees, or contestants if you will, each got to play the game. I had already selected several questions (or I guess answers in this case) and the employees had to respond. They each had a bell to ring if they knew the answer (or question I guess, in this case...whew). If noone replied correctly then the other employees in attendance had a chance to respond. I had assigned points to each answer and so on and so on, you get the picture. At the end of the meeting all three employees received prizes, company mug, company pen, etc. Everyone loved it! And, not only did the contestants learn a few things, but everyone in attendance was actually paying attention! It was easy to document who was in attendance and what the training was about, and now that is all on file till next year! Try it!

Lola815

Do you still have the questions you asked and are you willing to share those question with us? I think playing a game is a great way to learn and have fun. I would love to see the kind of questions that you asked!

Thanks x:-)

dmartenson

Thanks for all your suggestions. I was kinda thinking about a jeopardy game, but was not sure how to put it together. That sounds like a bit of fun. For sure funner than me giving another lecture/test.

I spoke to our corporate attorney (employment law) and she has a video we can use as well. So, thank you all for responding to my plea for help.

Rodney

The jeopardy type game sounds like great fun.

You could also consider opening up discussion. Since sexual harassment is a gray area (in the eyes of the beholder). You could either show the video first, or not. But have small groups & then a scenario for each group. Ask them to discuss the situation, decide if it is harassment or not and then what they would do.

Another eye opening approach is to have small groups again. Each gets the same magazine. As a group they cut out words and/or pictures that to them demonstrate harassment. These items should be placed on poster board. Then each group gets to share their results with the larger group. It really drives home that harassment is a matter of perception.

Above all find a clever name for what you are doing so you don't get "ahhhs" before you start.

Good luck.

Gillian

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 10-17-02 AT 10:41AM (CST)[/font][p]For what it's worth. I quit using videos years ago because I found that the vignettes created the wrong kind of conversation. Unless things have changed the vignettes include things like the guy draped all over the poor employee by the water cooler, etc. Those sorts of examples create conversation about "that doesn't happen here", which then leads to people questioning the validity of the video, and the message. I don't know how this will help your presentation but if you want to see what we do, go to [url]www.newmedialearning.com[/url], click on products, scroll down to Education and Western University of Health Sciences, then click on the name. We use this in new employee orientation and to supplement presentations.

Cinderella

Normally I would avoid videos as well, but we found one that is very good and shows the grey areas (ie: a woman talking about her weekend activities--no NOT like locker room talk, but not work appropriate either--while on a personal call...she thinks she is in an area where she cannot be overheard but she is incorrect) it doesn't show blatant harassment like the water-cooler attacks you're referring to, because let's face it, those are a given.
Cinderella