Staff deserve respect – sexual harassment is never OK
Violence and harassment at the workplace cause enormous safety and health problems. If an employee regularly encounters harassment at work, it undermines their well-being and motivation at work. Photo: NU HRCT
In the Christmas party season, staff in the hospitality sector often encounter sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour. Before the season gets underway, it pays to remember that decent behaviour is the key.
Sexual harassment is a serious matter and needs to be rooted out. In recent years, the Nordic Union for Workers in the Hotel, Restaurant, Catering and Tourism Sector NU HRCT has drawn attention to sexual harassment through their We are not on the menu campaign.
During the festive season sexual harassment is much more rife and employees in the sector are likely to face groping and other inappropriate behaviour at their workplace. Because of this, Nordic trade unions, including PAM, are jointly pointing out that there must be zero tolerance of harassment at the workplace.
According to the NU HRCT report, both men and women, but especially women, face sexual harassment in the restaurant sector.
The most vulnerable group is young women, who are often in direct contact with customers and also have insecure employment conditions. The restaurant sector is a working environment where employees are subject to various risks factors for sexual harassment such as alcohol and a culture of tipping, irregular working hours and the idea that ”the customer is always right”.
In a survey conducted by PAM in 2015, around 50% of all employees in the hospitality sector had experienced sexual harassment by customers (most common among younger employees and serving and bar staff).
“Sexual harassment is a problem that has to do with both gender equality and power structures in society. Rooting out sexism requires a long-term approach and coordination with other actors in the sector. Because the problem is widespread, the unions have been active in combating sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour in service sectors”, says PAM’s collective bargaining specialist Markku Björn.
Violence and harassment at the workplace cause enormous safety and health problems. If an employee regularly encounters harassment at work, it undermines their well-being and motivation at work. In Björn’s opinion that’s why the problem should not be underestimated.
He stresses that responsibility ultimately lies with the employer, who needs to prevent all forms of harassment and guarantee employees a safe working environment and look after their health and safety.
The trade unions want to point out that in the festive season proper behaviour is called for from employers, the working community and also from customers.
Follow the campaign on Facebook and hashtag #NotOnTheMenu on social media.