Five Tips on Dealing with a Boss That Makes Inappropriate Advances
This article looks at the issue of unwelcomed inappropriate advances from the boss. It considers the options of how to deal with the situation and possible outcomes.
In today’s society, a discussion of inappropriate advances does not alway mean a man toward a woman. As woman advance beyond the glass ceilings above them, they have also begun to be guilty of this behavior. Although inappropriate advances from the boss do come from women, men in authority still shoulder the bulk of this offense. Whether the originator is a man or a woman is not important regarding the problem. Either way, it is a difficult situation to deal with in the workplace.
You may fear the loss of your job.
This fear is realistic. If you rat out the boss, the company may still go ahead and seek other grounds to dismiss you and keep the superior. Your boss may have to go through sensitivity training and offer apologies for inappropriate behavior. It will not make life in the workplace any more pleasant if the same person remains your boss. It may make it very difficult to for you to perform at a level that will allow you to keep your job. It is a good idea to be prepared to start seeking another place to work when this happens to you.
Transfers to other departments do not always work.
In large companies, transferring to another department may not give you a fresh start with the company. If your new boss is the same gender as your previous one, they will most likely know the real reason for the transfer. Office gossip pipelines do a great job of spreading this type of information rapidly. Although you are ready to do a good job, your new boss may be suspicious of you and have concerns about the same accusations happening again.
In spite of potential problems, it is a good idea to deal with the issue.
No one should have to face inappropriate behavior from their boss. You are legally entitled to do your job without being bothered by unwanted advances from superiors whether verbal or physical. Not only is your boss wrong, but these actions can result in harm to your reputation and self-image. In resisting the boss, you send a clear signal that you are worth more than this treatment implies. Even if the boss is genuinely interested, there are right ways and wrongs ways to initiate a potential relationship.
If the advances are little more than flirting, try addressing the problem head on.
It is possible that this is the first time the boss has tried this behavior. A gentle rebuff may shock the situation back to normal. If not, try making it forceful without going too public. If it does not stop, it is time to go up the proper person to report it. Most larger companies do not want to risk sexual harassment lawsuits. They should address the problem with the needed authority. It may result in your boss being fired if they feel the person is unwilling to make the needed changes or if it is not a first offense.
For more direct sexual advances or threats of losing your job if you do not agree, do not negotiate.
If there are overt sexual advances, it is time to go directly to the management or human resources for help. Make it clear exactly what the inappropriate advances were. If immediate action is not taken, let them know that you will be going to the police or a governmental agency that regulates this behavior.
