If people are in doubt about whether a particular behaviour is acceptable, they should ask the person whether it is. If they are told to stop they should do so immediately and apologise. In general, it is against the law for an employer to act in a discriminatory way. In some situations, individual employees can be held responsible, for example, an employee who sexually harasses another employee. Workplace culture, what we accept and do not accept in the workplace, is the key to preventing discrimination and harassment at work.
Management has a strong impact on workplace culture.
For harassment prevention to be effective, an atmosphere of trust and open communication must be established. The goal is to create a workplace where everyone is treated equally and with respect, individual differences are appreciated and it is accepted that everyone has the right to feel comfortable and safe at work. This sort of work environment will benefit everyone as employees will be happier and the productivity of the business will improve. This includes the costs of separation, recruitment, training of a new employee, and the performance difference between the more experienced and the new employee. By contrast, Rank Xerox s London office reported recently that its equity measures have brought a return of one million pounds over 5 years through savings in recruitment and retention of staff.