NCJ Number
124064
Journal
Negotiation Journal Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1990) Pages: 161-172
Date Published
1990
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article contains impressions of a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on approximately 6,000 persons who contacted her between 1973 and 1988 with complaints about being harassed in the workplace.
Abstract
Most complainants expressed concern about some type of bad consequence, such as job reprisal, silent rejection or disapproval by coworkers and family, and loss of goodwill from supervisors. Most people also feared loss of privacy, said they did not want to go to a third party to negotiate the dispute, believed they lacked sufficient evidence of the offensive behavior, and indicated they just wanted the particular problem to stop. Many people appeared to be in distress, had widely differing views about whom they would approach as a complaint handler, were concerned about being perceived as disloyal or overly sensitive, and made it clear they did not want to lose control over their complaint. Some people wanted the complaint handler to be an advocate and asked if a colleague or spouse could accompany them. Only a few people wanted someone else to take care of the whole thing, and even a smaller number appeared vengeful and reported they had themselves offended someone else. The author concludes that most complainants cannot be helped in any one standard way, and therefore will not come forward if confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Employers should be required to provide both adjudicative options based on rights and problem-solving options based on interests for those who feel harassed in the workplace. 4 references, 14 notes.