Experts in Sexual Harassment Investigations
Sexual harassment in the workplace can create a hostile environment, but CMS mediation offers a confidential and impartial platform to address grievances, fostering constructive dialogue and resolution.
The Equality Act 2010 defines sexual harassment as unwanted behavior of a sexual nature affecting employees, contractors, and job applicants. This behavior violates someone’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment, regardless of intent.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual harassment profoundly impacts victims’ emotional and physical well-being, often causing fears of not being believed, facing personal questions, confronting the harasser, or having personal information exposed. CMS ensures investigations are conducted with compassion, empathy, and fairness for everyone involved, including the accused.
Contact MarieWorkers Protection Act
In October 2024, the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 comes into effect. This aims to better protect employees from sexual harassment by prioritising prevention.
It creates a duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent such behaviour in the workplace or when employees are working away from the workplace, or attending social events that are considered an extension of work.
Employers must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment happening, including changing culture, ensuring the right policies are in place, providing training and ensuring incidents are addressed in an appropriate manner. If employers are found to be in breach, tribunals will be able to increase compensation by 25%.CMS can assist employers with ensuring that their policies and procedures are in line with their statutory responsibilities.
Use of WhatsApp in the Workplace
The increased use of social media has created another issue for employers to manage. Social media can bring both advantages and disadvantages to an organisation, therefore employers must be aware of the challenges.
With the move to a more hybrid workforce, the use of WhatsApp, TEAMS, social media and chat platforms can be excellent tools for engaging with and managing remote teams. However, this can also be a hub for inappropriate behaviour, bullying and discrimination.Increasingly employees raise grievances or complaints about the use of social media, for example:
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Process of working with us
The process of mediation usually lasts for one day with 6 key steps
Instruction
Once your contact us and decide to instruct, we will onboard you and arrange a date for the mediation.
Introductions
Individual introductions. Explaining the mediation process, managing expectations, and setting ground rules
Individual Accounts
Individually obtain the accounts from all parties concerning the sequence of events that have led to the conflict.
All Parties Meeting
Bringing all parties together for respectful and problem-solving dialogue.
Identify Common Ground
Identifying common ground between the parties and areas of disagreement. Develop areas of agreement and explain perceptions.
Working Agreement
Create a working agreement plan. Explain the future roles of all parties and the confidentiality of the working agreement plan.