Industrial psychology expert witness Dr. Bob Rose of The Rose Porterfield Group writes that one example of Industrial Organizational Psychology case work is sexual harassment. One of his cases was a Fortune 100 company with a middle manager who was terminated for sexual harassment.
Industrial Psychologists (also “Industrial Organizational” or “IO Psychologists”) – those of us who work with the people aspects of work – know that these things really do happen and we know what to specifically look for.
Be proactive. Consult your general counsel or your attorney; don’t assume HR’s sophisticated procedures are being used in the field; and, make sure everyone in the company knows how serious termination is. Well-crafted policy, frequent training and an awareness of change brought about by technology (“textual harassment” is now an issue) can help prevent problems. And watch who puts what into a file.