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Sexual harassment is unwanted, nonconsensual sexual behavior that impacts the victim's life (Blum, 2019). It can be both verbal and nonverbal and includes unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors (Blum, 2019). Harassment can take many forms, such as verbal acts of name-calling or written statements or actions that may be physically threatening (Blum, 2019). The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) provides a clear explanation of what to report about acts of sexual harassment (EEOC, 2019). According to the EEOC (2019), it is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person's sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. Harassment does not have to be sexual, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person's gender. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general (EEOC, 2019). Quid pro quo and a hostile work environment are legal definitions of sexual harassment (Boyer, 2018). Quid pro quo refers to behaviors by a superior who promotes or demotes an employee contingent upon sexual favors in the workplace (Boyer, 2018).
Sexual harassment is considered a form of sex discrimination and is against federal law; it is, therefore, illegal across the country (Equal Right Advocates, 2019). Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to employers and outlines five major protected classes: race, color, religion, sex, and national origin (EEOC, 2020). To enforce the act, the EEOC was created with the power to file lawsuits on behalf of aggrieved workers against their employers. Thus, the act, also known as “Title VII,” is designed and written to make employers accountable for providing a work environment that is free from hostility, offensive remarks and actions, harassment, and any other kinds of discrimination.
Problem Statement
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), 3,085 employees at general medical and surgical hospitals filed claims of sexual harassment Between 1995 and 2016 (Feldblum & Lipnic, 2016). 60% of women in the workplace experience unwanted sexual attention or coercion, sexually crude conduct, or sexist comments in the workplace, which creates a significant problem because 80% of the employees in health care are women (Feldblum & Lipnic, 2016). Not only can nurses, physicians, and other employees face sexual harassment from colleagues and bosses, they can also experience unwanted behavior from patients (Van-Dis, Stadum, & Choo, 2018). The experience can harm employee performance and patient care (Van-Dis, Stadum, & Choo, 2018). The specific research problem is that many health care organizations do not have adequate or actionable approaches to address sexual harassment towards women, especially as it relates to creating inclusive and hostile free workplaces for female physicians. An organizational development action research and an organizational assessment is tool used to explore the manifestations of the problem. The Burrell Valued Diversity Equity and Civil Workplace Assessment Survey tool was used.
According to Richard Beckard (1969), a pioneer in the field, organizational development has five major components: 1) it is a planned change effort 2) it involves the total “system”; 3) it is managed from the top; 4) it is designed to increase organization effectiveness and health; and 4) through planned interventions in the organization's “processes,” using behavioral-science knowledge (Gallos, 2006, p. 3). An organizational development intervention is a strategic approach for a group of people within an organization, guided by leaders or consultants and supported by employees, to enhance organization efficiencies through planned change in processes, interventions, and systems.