Are You Sexually Harassing the Men in Your Office?

For most of us the idea of a man being sexually harassed is a bit of a joke. After all most men are big enough and tough enough to take care of themselves. Lets face it if anyone should be worried about getting sexually harassed in the workplace it is gorgeous girls like us. Not so according to new research.

New statistics show that more and more men are being sexually harassed in the workplace. According to WebWombat, sexual harassment of men in the workplace has risen to 7% and guess what... you, yes YOU, could be a perpetrator!

Watch what you wear

So your mother always told you not to wear your skirt too short but did you realise that your office clothes could be portrayed as sexually harassing? It may sound ridiculous but many organisations are cracking down on what women wear to the office. Some organisations are going as far as to set guidelines for acceptable clothing measurements. For example many banks dictate specific measurements for acceptable sleeve widths and skirt lengths.

So exactly what is Sexual Harassment?

According to the Anti-Discrimination Board the definition of sexual harassment is 'any form of sexually related behaviour that is not wanted and that is in any way humiliating or intimidating'. The definition goes further to say that it is behaviour that any reasonable person should have expected would offend, humiliate or intimidate. Ok, so does that mean it is fair to say that the men in your office might find your cleavage a tiny bit intimidating? And what if they miss a promotion opportunity because your skirt is so short that they can't concentrate on the job at hand?

Let's Play Fair

• Dress according to the organisational dress code (don't worry you can still look gorgeous)


• Read, understand and following your organisations policies on sexual harassment


• Do not make unwanted sexual advances on workmates


• Do not make jokes or comments that could be misinterpreted as sexually insulting


• Always base your hiring and firing decisions on the person's skills and experience rather than sex


• Encourage open communication so that the men can tell you if they feel uncomfortable about anything that you have said or done


• Be conscious of how your actions make others in your office feel


• Do not sent sexually explicit emails or text messages to the men in your office


• Familiarise yourself with government legislation as it relates to sexual harassment