What is a "no tolerance" policy?

Take a look at the language used by the Attorney General of the United States Department of Justice as an example of a strong "no tolerance" stand against the sexual harassment component of Workplace Harassment: AG Memo Pay particular attention to the bulleted items near the end of the memo for the strength of this "no tolerance" message. (Use your browser's "back" button to return to this page after reading the article.)

You may not want to send a "strong memo" to all of your staff like this. But be sure that everyone knows that workplace harassment in your work area will not be tolerated! You might choose to send a memo, e-mail, or hold a staff meeting to discuss the issues. Just make sure that all of your staff know that you will not tolerate any harassment. Follow-up reminders are a good idea, also. Immediately follow up or look into on any suspected problems. If you are diligent in keeping your eyes and the lines of communication open, you may be able to "nip it in the bud" before situations get out of hand. And, certainly, realize that your example of respectful, equal treatment will go a long way in letting your staff know what is expected of them.

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