Can Smart Phone Safety Apps Curb Or Wipeout Sexual Harassment Or Assault On Women At Workplace ??

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Hey Everyone,

Can Smart Phone Safety Apps 

Curb Or Wipeout 

Sexual Harassment Or Assault 

On

Women At Workplace ??

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The MeToo movement is about giving sexual assault and harassment victims the courage to speak up. And the recent conviction of former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is an indication that those who speak up will be believed. But, despite these encouraging trends, many still choose to remain silent when it comes to reporting issues like sexual harassment. New apps aimed at empowering victims are hoping to change that.

In order for real change to occur, organizations need to be aware of misconduct when it occurs in their workplaces. If sexual harassment is not reported, a perpetrator can continue to harass for years without any repercussions. Until Gretchen Carlson brought charges, Roger Ailes allegedly harassed over twenty women at Fox News. But the reason these women didn’t report sooner is that it’s not easy to come forward. One large-scale study found that only about 6% of sexually harassed workers take any formal action and report the incident, and less than 1% of victims file formal charges.

Why the reluctance to report? 

When assessing the costs and benefits of reporting, many conclude it’s just more advantageous to remain silent. Some victims fear it will reflect poorly on themselves or that they will suffer retaliation or professional consequences. Others feel they will not be believed or that the incidents are not serious enough to report. Some express concern that their organization will ignore their complaints. Until management makes it clear to employees that the company will act appropriately when they become aware of a violation, employees will continue to favor silence. Silence is just the best option.

New apps are aiming to give employees better alternatives. Hoping to empower more employees to report problems, these apps, including #NotMe and Vault Platform, are making it easier for employees to report these issues to their organization. Ariel Weindling, founder and CEO of #NotMe, describes, “The app brings the power back to the people who have experienced or perceived misconduct and are ready to stand up and say #NotMe.”

Anonymity Increases The Likelihood Of Reports

Another explanation for the uptick in reports for these organizations is that app users can submit their reports anonymously. Anonymous reporters need not fear repercussions, because nobody knows the identity of the person who reported the harassment. While some organizations have offered anonymous reporting hotlines for years, the apps offer one key benefit over hotlines. The organization can conduct follow-up, ask questions and offer help via the app—all while preserving the anonymity of the individual reporting the harassment. About 50% of the reports submitted to date on #NotMe have been anonymous.

Not everyone is a fan of anonymous reporting. Researchers James Detert and Ethan Burris suggest that encouraging employees to speak up anonymously about any topic may inadvertently reinforce a message that it’s not safe to speak up. They say, “Allowing employees to remain unidentified actually underscores the risks of speaking up—and reinforces people’s fears. The subtext is, ‘It’s not safe to share your views openly in this organization. So we’ve created other channels to get the information we need.’”

However, #NotMe CEO, Weindling feels that the app can function to re-establish trust between the employee and employer, and ultimately empowers victims to identify themselves. In either case, anonymous or identified, Weindling feels that reporting is always the best option.  Reports allow the organization to be alerted to issues when they arise, which allows them to intervene and course-correct before problems get out of hand.  

Vault Platform CEO, Meidav agrees that anonymity is not ideal, but is still necessary. “The Vault Platform was created to help companies create an environment where people feel safe to speak up and even identify themselves. We recognize that there is still work to do for most cultures to get to that point, so anonymity is still important,” she reports.

In addition to the anonymous reporting option, users of the Vault Platform app have another compelling alternative. The GoTogether feature enables employees to submit their reports under the condition that they’re not the first or only person complaining about a particular perpetrator. Meidav says, “What we learned from the #MeToo movement, even in its very name, is that strength in numbers matters. Our GoTogether feature has already been used in the companies that implemented Vault, and according to our own research, women are up to eight times more likely to report with GoTogether than anonymously.” Vault estimates that only 30% of their reports are anonymous.

The apps contain several other features that benefit both victims and organizations. For example, employees can use the apps to keep a record of harassing behavior without reporting. This record-keeping may help employees who think that one particular incident isn’t egregious enough to report but want to document an incident in case the misconduct continues to occur.

NotMe allows users to report harassment regardless of whether their employer has adopted the #NotMe platform.  

NotMe users will hear from an expert who can assess their needs and offer referrals and advice within 48 hours.  

Awareness Is The First Step To Eliminating Harassment 

In general, organizations are better off when their employees feel that they are free to voice their concerns. Several studies show that organizations that encourage employees to speak up have increased retention and stronger performance.  But it’s not always easy, and in the short term, it’s sometimes less complicated for an organization to remain in the dark. Weindling says organizational representatives have directly told him, “your platform is really fantastic, but I’d rather not know about misconduct.”

Awareness of misconduct creates more work, but lack of awareness causes even greater organizational problems that will take much longer to address. To eradicate sexual misconduct from the workplace, organizations need to step up and address the problems head-on. Awareness of the issues is the critical first step, and any tools organizations can use to encourage employees to speak up are helpful.

Perhaps most empowering for victims is the message sent by organizations that adopt these platforms. These organizations are clearly indicating that they want to hear about any misconduct and will take reports seriously. And this message seems to be getting through to employees. Vault Platform CEO, Neta Meidav, reports that their clients have seen a 40% uptick in reports after adopting the platform.

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Know If You Can Lose Your Job If You Are Quarantined During The Coronavirus Outbreak?

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Hey Everyone!,

Know If You Can Lose 

Your Job

If You Are Quarantined 

During The 

Coronavirus Outbreak?

 Photo:Sameer/auracompletsolutions.blogspot.com/ GETTY IMAGES

The Wuhan Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak continues to spread with an ever-increasing number of deaths and infected individuals. With the ease in which it spreads, authorities have imposed quarantines, such as on a cruise ship. But what happens if you have to miss work as a result of quarantine?

Quarantines: An Overview

The word “quarantine” comes from the Italian word for 40 days. The term can trace its roots back to Venice during the Black Death plague epidemic. During that time, authorities placed incoming ships in isolation for 40 days before its crew and passengers could join the general population.

Another term often used with quarantine is “isolation.” They are similar concepts, but different. Quarantine refers to the confinement of individuals who have been exposed (or may have been exposed) to a particular disease or illness. A person may be quarantined even though they do not have a communicable disease. Isolation refers to the separation of known sick individuals from those who are not sick. In other words, isolation applies when you are sick and quarantine applies you could be sick.

The Legal Basis For Quarantine And Isolation Powers

In the United States, the power to isolate and quarantine exists at both the federal and state level. Practically all states have laws in place that allow state and local health officials to enforce quarantine or impose isolation to prevent the spread of a communicable disease.

At the federal level, Section 361 of the Public Health Services Act, provides authority to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to detain, examine and monitor individuals traveling into and within the United States who may have a communicable disease.

Officials from the CDC often work with state and local authorities to establish quarantine. Depending on the disease and the individuals involved, quarantines can last hours or weeks. For some, this may be a minor inconvenience. But for many others, this could affect not just their daily living, but their livelihood as well.

Federal Employment Protections When Under Isolation Or Quarantine

If you’re placed under quarantine or in isolation for an extended period, you may wonder if you’ll still have a job when you’re finally released. There are two primary federal laws that can address this situation: the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

The FMLA provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, protected leave for qualified medical reasons. This includes taking care of your own “serious health condition.” The key question here is whether someone under isolation or quarantine has a serious health condition.

If you’re in isolation for the Coronavirus, you likely have a serious health condition. Therefore, you’re probably receiving inpatient care and ongoing medical treatment.

For someone in quarantine, things aren’t as clear. This is because quarantines apply to people who may not have any disease at all, but have restrictions placed on them for precautionary reasons.

At first glance, it appears that being in quarantine won’t qualify for FMLA leave. But after digging a little deeper, you can make the argument that being under quarantine counts as a serious health condition.

The FMLA regulations’ definition of a serious health condition includes a condition that requires inpatient care. Inpatient care is generally defined as spending at least an overnight stay in a medical facility, such as a hospital, hospice or residential medical facility.

If someone is under quarantine and they receive medical testing and monitoring that spans more than one day, it’s possible to argue that this qualifies as inpatient care. This may be true even if the monitoring, testing or observation is done on a cruise ship or in someone’s own home.

In most situations, if you are in isolation or quarantine and have FMLA leave available, you’ll likely be able to take it.

Concerning the ADA, it prohibits discrimination by covered employers against a qualified person with a disability. The ADA also requires certain employers to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled employees.

The question with the ADA is if being infected with the Coronavirus, or being suspected of being infected, qualifies as an ADA recognized disability.

To be considered an ADA disability, a person must have an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities or have a record of such an impairment. ADA protections can also apply to those who are regarded as having such an impairment. A major life activity includes things such as walking, sitting, reading, breathing and talking.

If you’re infected with the Coronavirus and are in isolation, you may qualify as having an ADA-recognized disability. The most single most important factor would be how serious your symptoms were. The more severe your symptoms, the more likely your Coronavirus infection counts as a disability under the ADA. If your Coronavirus infection qualifies as an ADA disability, your employer cannot fire you simply because you’re infected.

However, they can fire you if being in isolation prevents you from being able to do your job. For example, if your job requires you to physically be in the office, then being in isolation (and your severe symptoms) would prevent you from being able to accomplish your job duties.

But there’s the caveat of whether your employer can provide you with a reasonable accommodation. Assuming a reasonable accommodation can be made that doesn’t impose an undue hardship on your employer, then you probably can’t be fired because you are in isolation.

Depending on the circumstances, a leave of absence could qualify as a reasonable accommodation. And should you make a full recovery and wish to come back to your job, your employer can require you to provide a doctor’s note clearing you to return to work.

If you’re under quarantine, then you are not ill. Therefore, you do not have a disability. However, you are regarded as being disabled. As a result, you may have ADA protections with respect to employment discrimination. However, there is disagreement as to whether being “regarded as” having a disability legally requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodations (assuming it doesn’t result in undue hardship on the employer).

So it’s possible that even if your job duties would allow for it and it doesn’t create an undue burden, your employer may not have to provide you with leave or allow you to telecommute while you are under quarantine. But again, the law isn’t perfectly clear on this.

State And Local Employment Laws When Under Isolation Or Quarantine

Most states that have quarantine and isolation laws do not address whether an employer can fire an employee while under quarantine or in isolation. However, a few states do explicitly prohibit it.

For example, under Md. Ann. § Code 18-906(e), an employer may not fire an employee who is under isolation or quarantine as ordered by the Maryland government. A few other states have similar protections, such as Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Carolina and Texas.

Another way for an employee to protect his or her job during a quarantine or isolation order is to have additional protected leave from work. While the FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of leave, some state or local laws provide more time, such as Washington, D.C.

Specifically, the District of Columbia Family and Medical Leave Act (DCFMLA) provides up to 16 weeks of medical leave for employees who need to deal with a serious health condition. Besides the extra four weeks of leave, another advantage of the DCFMLA over the FMLA is that it applies to more employees. The FMLA applies to employers with 50 or more employees while the DCFMLA applies to employers with only 20 or more employees.

Outbreaks And Telecommuting

One substantial difference between the Coronavirus and previous global outbreak threats is modern capacity for remote, online work. The utility of telecommuting positions has changed the question of whether one can perform the essential job functions of their position from home.

At the Spiggle Law Firm, for example, we commonly use programs like Slack, Zoom, PracticePanther, Dropbox, and of course email to successfully do work remotely which would have once been impossible. The more telework positions there are, the lower the risk of contracting diseases from coworkers.

In Closing

Hopefully, much of this above discussion is purely academic. But if the Coronavirus continues to spread, this might be something more and more employees and human resource departments will have to worry about.

One thing to keep in mind is that many people will have accrued personal, vacation or sick days they may be able to use in place of taking FMLA leave or asking for reasonable accommodations.

Then there’s also the fact that even if a business could fire you because you were in isolation or quarantine, it could create some negative publicity that your employer would be prudent to avoid.

Hope you enjoy reading this;)

“What Do You Think?Do you agree or Disagree or Have any other ideas?Please Share your thoughts in the comments below as I learn just as much from you as you do from me!"

Bye for Know,

Sameer 

There’s more to that

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Sports Talks Should They Be Banned In Offices ?

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Hey Everyone!,

Sports Talks 

Should They Be Banned 

In Offices ?

 Photo:Sameer/auracompletsolutions.blogspot.com/ AdobeStock

The vast majority of companies place a large premium on creating an inclusive environment in which all employees feel welcomed and comfortable.

This is an admirable and lofty goal, as achieving it is not always easy. There is an array of big issues and everyday occurrences that need to be discussed.

On BBC Radio 4’s Today, guest Ann Francke, the CEO of United Kingdom-based Chartered Management Institute, which offers services relative to human resources issues (including talent management, employee engagement and managing change), asserted that discussing soccer, cricket and other sports in the workplace have led to women feeling left out at the office.

She claimed that the constant chatter about sports ultimately leads to locker-room banter. This, in turn, can create an uncomfortable climate, as the male employees start “slapping each other on the back and talking about their conquests [on] the weekend.”

Francke did not demand a boycott of sports talk, but thought it prudent to discourage and tamp down on these conversations and make an attempt to push for more inclusive talk. A lively debate erupted in which some people considered these remarks sexist, considering that many women enjoy participating in or spectating sports and discussing it at the office. 

Some people fear that this type of idea furthers the “cancel culture” trend. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it refers to a form of boycott in which a person, celebrity, television show or movie is deemed offensive and a mob mentality pushes to shut it down. 

Concerns were raised that limiting speech at work becomes a slippery slope. It's no secret that, in these politically charged times, some people are self-censoring themselves over concerns that they may lose a job or become ostracized. Others openly espouse their views, which alienates and offends the people around them. 

Bev Shah, the founder and CEO of City Hive, a self-described network for change, says  “water-cooler moments” discussing a variety of interests helps enhance a company’s culture and fosters working relationships. She added, “There should be a cultural contract in the workplace where colleagues are mindful of the intensity, volume and duration of the conversations they are having—this goes for any topic.”

Sports journalist Jacqui Oatley said it would be a “terrible idea” to crack down on office sports talk. She told the Today program, “If you ban football [American soccer] chat or banter of any description, then all you’re going to do is alienate the people who actually want to communicate with each other.” Oatley added, “It would be so, so negative to tell people not to talk about sports because girls don’t like it or women don’t like it, that’s far more divisive.”

The questions arise as to what types of conversations should be policed—if any. If married people discuss their children, will that make single employees or those who don’t—or can’t—have kids feel isolated? If politics, religion or the economy is raised, will that set off red flags and create ill will? 

This becomes a very delicate subject with serious ramifications. If free speech is limited or clamped down upon, employees will feel insulted and angry that their opinions are silenced. In today’s politically charged environment, some people are afraid to offer their thoughts and opinions out of fear of retaliation or harsh judgement. If too much free speech is permitted, workers can feel targeted if they are in the minority. Either way, it may create a toxic culture and alienate a segment of the workforce.

It could be a Herculean task for management and human resources to set restrictive guidelines of what can be said and what’s not deemed permissible to talk about. By trying to be inclusive, it may have unintended consequences.  

Francke said, "They don't follow those sports and they don't like either being forced to talk about them or not being included." 

Hope you enjoy reading this;)

“What Do You Think? Do you agree or Disagree or Have any other ideas?  as I learn just as much from you as you do from me!” 

Bye for Know,

Sameer 

There’s more to that

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Know And Understand These Tips To Build A Culture For An All-Remote Team

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Hey Everyone,

PHOTO: gettyimages

Know And Understand These 

Tips To Build A Culture 

For 

An All-Remote Team

Working remotely is becoming more and more common among today's professionals. The convenience of being able to work from anywhere allows for more flexibility, greater work-life balance and can even increase productivity. However, when employees are so physically and geographically spread out, it becomes even more difficult to create a sense of camaraderie and teamwork.

Top strategies for building company culture and improving morale in an all-remote team are. 

Develop A Common Cultural Language

Get the team physically together for a leadership training in which all members are able to learn about themselves and each other through a common cultural language. Afterward, hold weekly video meetings where time is withheld for team members to continue to explore themselves and give and receive feedback. Encourage vulnerability and mutual respect. 

Stay In Touch Through Video

Give up thinking in the three-dimensional paradigm and get creative. We are completely virtual and flexible, with unlimited PTO. We do many things to stay in touch: a weekly email thread where we share our personal updates, we hold brown bag lunches, have hosted wedding and baby showers, hold an annual holiday party with games, shipped gifts—all using an inexpensive video platform. 

Encourage Cross-Collaboration

As someone that has worked 16-plus years remotely, the single most important cultural tool is cross-collaboration. Remote teams that integrate cross-collaboration among team members tend to create deeper and more personal relationships. It ultimately tends to translate into deeper personal bonds that not only help maintain but also evolve the organizational culture. 

Host Regular 'Virtual Coffees'

With today's great video conferencing tools, a great tactic is to host regular virtual coffees with the entire team. Everyone literally comes to the conference with a coffee, tea or water to catch up in an informal way. You can have a mixture of topics—work and non-work related sessions—to add a ton of variety. For global teams, remember to rotate times to accommodate the multiple time zones. 

Prioritize Two-Way Communication And Dialogue

Communicate, but not the usual way. Yes, sharing info is important—clarifying goals and strategies, celebrating wins. But the secret sauce is two-way dialogue: talking with people, not at them. Fully listening, hearing, understanding and answering what's asked shows your respect. Encourage remote folks to connect and get to know each other. Building engagement builds commitment.

Schedule One-On-Ones And Virtual Office Hours

You don’t have the benefit of being able to walk by someone’s office when you’re working remotely. Be deliberate in scheduling one-on-ones and holding virtual office hours when anyone can “drop by” and catch up or ask questions. Also, be creative—virtual happy hours with non-work related discussions can help build stronger connections. 

Host A Team Retreat

While my team is spread across the entire U.S., once a year we all come together for a few days in person for a team retreat. It doesn't have to be expensive—we rent a house and keep it simple! This is a great opportunity for us to really plan what is next for the business as well as spend some quality time nurturing the team and culture we are building. 

Restate Your Company Mission At The Start Of Team Calls

Our behavior today is a function of the future that we see for ourselves. Keeping the vision, the mission and the future of the company front and center will unify your team no matter where they are. Give them something to brag about. Use your mission to create meaning for the team. Making money isn't meaning. Tell them why you do what you do. Share stories of the difference they are making. 

Ask Your Experts

Ask your team members from far and wide for their ideas and suggestions on how to build culture and improve morale. Suggestions from the top might not hit the mark for virtual workers. Also, what works for one may not work for another, hence why soliciting a variety of responses gets everyone involved, provides a range of ideas and often encourages even more innovative solutions. 

Share Progress With Your Colleagues

An issue I frequently run into with clients who have remote teams is that team members often wait until a project is complete (or nearly so) to share it with colleagues. At that point, it might be too late to incorporate helpful feedback. Sharing early—and often—can help teammates feel more connected to each other, build trust and yield better results too! 

Leverage Digital Engagement For Connectedness And Inclusivity

Utilize digital technologies to increase interaction, strengthen bonds, solicit ideas, provide feedback and amplify the effects of good leadership on remote teams. Use video communication tools so teams see each other live while collaborating. Integrate emojis into digital messaging to reinforce organizational values, positive emotions and intent, show appreciation and promote team connection. 

Have A Non-Work Group Chat

Remote employees need a place where they can communicate to their colleagues to let off steam. Starting group chats on apps like Slack or WhatsApp where they can build personal connections, poke fun at each other and discuss non-work related topics will go a long way in building morale. I have seen this in other companies and it has worked very well for their remote employees. 

Establish 'Check-In' And 'Check-Out' Processes

Building a sense of community in an all-remote team is essential. Start with a brief "check-in" and end with a brief "check-out" practice. This helps team members to connect with each other at another level before diving into work topics and before signing off. Sometimes it's just one word, sometimes it's a sentence that is shared. Video calls versus audio only also make a big difference. 

Regularly Share Best Practices

One of the significant advantages of an all-remote team is the diversity it brings. Teams can leverage this and learn from it. Having regular opportunities to share successes not only helps apply best practices across the whole team, but also creates a sense of unity around a common mission. Each member feels valued and appreciated for their contribution to the team's success. 

Build High-Performing Teams

When building high-performing teams, we need to ensure that we are giving the team the ability to self-direct, and not micromanaging the team members. This is the No. 1 killer of morale when fostering a culture that focuses on team collaboration. 

Hope You Enjoyed Reading This.

“What Do You Think?Do you agree or Disagree or Have any other ideas?? Please Share your thoughts in the comments below as I learn just as much from you as you do from me!” 

Bye for Know

Sameer 

There’s more to that

If you’re looking for more,Please subscribe to my blog by clicking on Subscribe in a reader the icon or Subscribe via Email by submitting your email id on the side bar ;)

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