The Women's Center, Inc.

When Domestic Violence Comes to the Workplace

Did you know that domestic violence costs United States businesses $3 to $5 billion annually?

How?

Lost productivity, turnover, stress, absenteeism, increased health cost and employee safety just to name a few. Did you know that women are five times as likely as men to be victims of violence at work at the hand of an intimate partner? Often work can become the only place the assailant can locate and harm the victim.

 

Your workplace response can make a real difference.

How does your workplace currently respond to domestic violence? Managers are often the first to recognize and respond to domestic violence. A manager’s response is critical.

Managers: What would you say to an employee who left early because of upsetting calls from home at least four times in the last month? The employee has worked for your company for five years and she performs her job well.

• Does your company have a policy or a collection of policies that addresses domestic violence?
• What do regulatory agencies like OSHA, Department of Health, require employers to do to keep workplaces safe?

 

If you need more information of how to recognize, respond and support victims please check out our following workplace resources:

Click here:  DV in the Workplace Brochure (PDF)

Click here: DV in the Workplace Poster (PDF)

 

Available Trainings for Managers

• How to recognize, address and support victims of domestic violence.
• Ten ways to creating a supportive workplace.

Click here: DV in the Workplace Managerial Booklet (PDF)

 

Available Trainings for Employees

• How to respond to a co-worker who is a victim of domestic violence.
• How to effectively serve a client who is a victim of domestic violence.

Click here: Family & Friends Guide (PDF)

 

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Quiz: Answer “Yes” or “No” to the following

Yes/No: Sexual harassment is against the law?

Yes/No: The harasser and victim can be the same gender?

Yes/No: Employers must investigate all claims of sexual harassment?

Did you answer “yes” to all three questions?

 

What to learn more about reducing sexual harassment in your workplace?

Available Trainings for Managers

• Managers gain awareness and skills in addressing sexual harassment and supporting victims

 

Available Training Programs for Employees

• Employee learns to recognize, respond and report harassment in their workplace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW: Social Networking, Good or Bad for Business

• Facebook reports 200 million people worldwide use their social networking site (McBride, 2009). Businesses are using sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube to market and sell their products, and acquire feedback from their customers.  Social media has both benefits and potential risk for businesses. Learn more about social networking and proactive strategies to manage social media in your workplace.

Available Trainings Programs for Managers

• Managers will gain an understanding of social networking, identify strategies for balancing employee social networking while mitigating organizational risk, learn a proactive approach to empower managers to help employees avoid social networking abuse and increase knowledge of social networking resources.

 

NEW: Workplace Bullying

Bullying is a form of workplace violence.

• Harrison Psychological Associates reports the business costs of bullying to employers where people are being harassed, within a two-year period, is more than $180 million in lost time and productivity.
• According to the Workplace Bullying Institute 2010 & 2007 U.S. Workplace Bullying Surveys, 35% of adult Americans (an est. 53.5 million Americans) report being bullied at work; an additional 15% witness it.

If your organization wants to establish a professional code of conduct expectation, learn how to recognize, respond and support all employees impacted by workplace bullying, this is the training for you.

Available Trainings Programs for Managers

• Managers will learn to define workplace violence, identify potential consequences, feel empowered to address and respond to workplace bullying,  learn practical strategies designed to reduce workplace violence and increase their knowledge of anti-bullying workplace resources.

 

Looking for a more in-depth understanding of workplace violence?

How do all these issues interface with one another?

Click here to learn more: Workplace Violence Managerial Training Series

What are managers saying about our trainings?

Click here: Workplace Training Brochure

 

Additional Support Services

• Planning and Marketing

Let The Women’s Center help with the planning and marketing of your training event.  Pre-marketing activities include sample articles that can be incorporated into your employee newsletter, website and emails.  Informational brochures and workplace posters are available at no cost to employers.

• Policy Review and Development

The Women’s Center has experience in assisting businesses to review and develop workplace policies that empower employers to address issues like domestic and sexual violence in the workplace.  As a member agency of both Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, we have a network of resources and professionals who help us to support employers through the policy review and development stages.

• Managerial Support

Managers who participate in our training programs feel better equipped to handle issues of domestic and sexual violence. After trainings, many managers call The Women’s Center to share their experience of responding to victims in the workplace.  The Women’s Center also serves as a sounding board to those managers who want to continue to support the victim in the future. Together, we develop a plan that empowers both victim and manager.  We encourage all managers to call 784-6632 to see how we can empower you and your workforce.

• Employee Support

Managers are often the first person an employee tells about domestic violence. A manager may offer the employee a confidential location to call The Women’s Center for support.  If a victim wants to continue with The Women’s Center but has limited time and resources, an advocate from The Women’s Center is available to come to your workplace and provide support.  Employees and managers need to work together to make a request for an advocate to come to the workplace.  For more information please call our administrative office at 784-6632 Monday-Friday 9-5pm and for evenings or weekends please call our 24-hour hotline 784-6631.

 

All support services are available at no cost.

Donations are gladly accepted.