Discrimination and harassment in the workplace has been a frequent topic of discussion in the media. But did you know that shy people are often a frequent target of discrimination and harassment?

Shy people’s quietness, seemingly timid disposition and lack of assertiveness can make them easy targets of harassment by bored or disgruntled coworkers. Sometimes shy people have trouble making eye contact, which can be seen as a sign of weakness.

Furthermore, shy people often have more difficulty making friends and building relationships when starting a new job. Networking is more difficult for them, and fewer people will come to their defense or aid if they are unfairly criticized.

Indeed, unreasonable or unjust criticism is a frequent weapon of on-the-job harassment. There are laws against racial or sexual discrimination, but there are no laws against “shy” discrimination.

Criticism is almost universally seen as an important tool to help us improve our work performance. In many cases, it can be. But criticism can also be used as a weapon to paint someone they don’t like as an incompetent. On-the-job gossip, backbiting or ridicule can be quite brutal and can damage one’s reputation as an effective worker. As author Sidney B. Simon once wrote, “the knives of negative criticism which people stick in us are just as sharp and deadly as those made of steel and borne by assassins.”

Simon went on further to state that “our society has somehow conditioned us to accept the notion that criticism of all sorts is bound to be good for us… that the more it hurts the better it is for us.”

But the term “constructive criticism” implies an important corollary: that criticism can also be negative, unreasonable, hurtful and destructive. It can be a weapon in office politics or simply a form of gossip and backbiting towards another in order to create a false sense of self-importance or to relieve boredom.

How to you deal with such forms of harassment? It is certainly a good idea, when starting off in the new workplace, to build as many relationships and friendships with coworkers as possible immediately, something that is admittedly harder to do for shy people. It is also a good idea to learn names and job positions of all coworkers on the first day.

Many people try to grab a false sense of prestige or importance, and they can do an amazingly effective job of putting on airs and making new workers think that they have some kind of supervisory power when in reality they have none. So it is a good idea to get all these things straight as soon as possible. Remembering everyone’s name and position will also help you to make a good impression on your coworkers.

The author of this article describes many more ways to deal with difficult people effectively in his new course, “Break out of your Shell! How To Overcome Shyness So You Can Get On With Your Life!” In it, he discusses how to deal with many types of difficult people such as constant interrupters, people who go on and on and on and on, snobs, bossy coworkers, constant critics and argumentative know-it-alls.

Learn more about this breakthrough system at Shy Facts and get a FREE ebook, “How to Remember People’s Names; the Master Key to Success and Popularity.”

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_Arends

Every individual has the right to feel secure, comfortable, and respected in his or her workplace. In many, or even most, office environments, employees are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Unfortunately, even with extensive information and educational materials available on the subject of sexual harassment and its legal and ethical dangers, a number of individuals remain the victims of sexual harassment in the workplace.

By understanding what exactly constitutes different forms of sexual harassment, hopefully more people can become aware of the possible effects of their actions (if they could be perceived as hostile or inappropriate). Additionally, individuals who are the victims of sexual harassment will hopefully be empowered to stand up for themselves and demand the respect they deserve.

Quid pro Quo Sexual Harassment

Perhaps the most commonly thought of form of sexual harassment is known as quid pro quo sexual harassment. In Latin, quid pro quo means “something for something”. With this form of sexual harassment, an individual in a managerial position (eg. a manager or supervisor) will either

·         Offer a lower-level employee additional benefits or work privileges in exchange for sexual favors

·         Threaten a lower-level employee with the loss of benefits or work privileges, or possible termination, if they do not engage in some sort of sexual activity

In cases of quid pro quo sexual harassment, not only is the individual making the sexual advancements guilty of harassment, but the company and top-level executives can be held responsible as well, as managers and supervisors are usually considered to be acting on behalf of their superiors.

Hostile Work Environment

Another type of sexual harassment that can show up in workplaces is known as hostile work environment sexual harassment. A hostile work environment is created when individuals create an environment that makes one or more employees feel uncomfortable or victimized in the workplace because of either subtle or overt sexual materials or actions.

Examples of actions that could create a hostile work environment may include

·         Unwanted physical contact
·         Flirtatious behavior
·         Sexually explicit emails, jokes, or pictures

This particular type of sexual harassment is especially dangerous in the workplace because individuals often do not think about how their actions may be perceived by their co-workers. What one person may consider a relatively harmless joke might be extremely offensive to another person. To prevent creating a hostile work environment, all employees should take into consideration the feelings and opinions of their co-workers to prevent offense.

If you would like more information on sexual harassment, contact Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyer Perry Smith today.

Joseph Devine

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine