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In today’s increasingly digital world, technology is deep rooted into how we live, work, and communicate, influencing everything from managing businesses to connecting with employees. However, as our reliance on digital platforms grows, so do the challenges, including rising cases of online harassment and digital discrimination in the workplace. These issues are becoming serious concerns for businesses, requiring proactive solutions to protect their employees and maintain a positive work environment.
We are now finding ourselves in an economic climate where remote working is the norm and online collaboration and working, and communicating online is present and on the rise. This means that employees are more exposed to digital discrimination, cyberbullying, other discriminatory behaviour, and online harassment across digital platforms. In a diverse and dynamic workforce and environment, it is crucial for businesses to adopt proactive measures to address discriminatory challenges and create a safe and inclusive digital workplace.
In this post, we explore effective strategies that businesses in London can implement and adopt to combat digital discrimination and online harassment. This includes implementing clear policies and strategies to create a culture of inclusion as well as digital literacy training. Collectively, these steps will help employers protect their workforce from online discrimination and harassment and create a positive, respectful and supported environment.
What is Digital Discrimination and Online Harassment?
Digital discrimination and online harassment refers to unfair treatment of individuals in online environments. By unfair treatment we are talking about treatment that is based on their protected characteristics such as race, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation. This can unfortunately take place in many forms including via emails, messaging platforms and social media. Online harassment is specifically when someone is targeted with unwanted, abusive, or threatening behaviour making them feel isolated, unsafe or vulnerable.
There are many examples of digital discrimination including the exclusion from virtual meetings, not being added to all communication channels, offensive jokes or purely treating people differently. This is typically in the form of online bullying such as sending intimidating messages, spreading rumours and using social media to publicly humiliate an individual.
Both digital discrimination and online harassment can have a destructive impact on individuals emotional wellbeing, confidence and security and can impact their ability to work and thrive and even go to work at all. At Nationwide Employment Lawyers we have witnessed and experienced many cases and scenarios where digital discrimination, and online harassment has taken place.
Establishing Clear Anti Discrimination and Harassment Policies
One of the most crucial steps a business can take to address digital discrimination and online harassment is to implement clear, firm policies. These guidelines should clearly define acceptable online behaviour and the consequences of violations. By establishing clear boundaries and expectations, employees are better equipped to understand appropriate conduct, creating a safer, more respectful digital work environment. Clear policies not only promote fairness but also help foster a culture of respect and professionalism across all digital interactions.
Training
Giving your employees the tools and knowledge required to recognise and prevent digital discrimination and online harassment is critical in today’s economic climate and digital world. Training in the form of digital discrimination and online harassment helps individuals with the knowledge and power to identify inappropriate behaviour, understand the profound impact it can have on colleagues and to report it with confidence.
Training helps employees recognise the signs of harmful actions like cyberbullying, offensive messaging, exclusion, general misconduct and inappropriate behaviour and so is a proactive way to mitigate and dramatically reduce discrimination and give individuals the knowledge and power to raise concerns and address unfair behaviour towards themselves and others.
The aim is of course to reduce all forms of digital discrimination and online harassment and create a culture of inclusion and respect and safe digital working environments.
Communication Channels
Effective communication channels are one of the key elements to running a successful business, and this is no different when it comes to addressing digital discrimination. Open and trusted channels provide employees with a safe and accessible way to report discrimination and harassment incidents they may have witnessed or been exposed to.
There are many different communication methods you can adopt, including anonymous reporting systems, confidential HR hotlines, dedicated email addresses and Employment Resource Groups (ERGs). Offering multiple supportive communication channels and options encourages trust, inclusivity and openness and gives employees the ability to speak up within a trusted environment and without fear.
Employee Resource Groups
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are becoming increasingly more popular within the business world as they offer a safe platform for employees to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences across many different arenas and this can include online harassment and digital discrimination. These groups are a vital support and safe space, creating a sense of belonging and they are there to allow individuals to feel safe and voice their concerns on what they are experiencing and or witnessing.
From the perspective of an employer, ERGs encourage open and trusted communication and the groups can help identify patterns of harassment and discrimination, meaning businesses can take proactive steps and introduce methods and policies that address these issues.
The Legal Framework
The Equality Act 2010 is the key piece of legislation relating to discrimination at work and is there to protect individuals. The Equality Act also plays a key role in terms of harassment and defines it as “unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment’.
The Equality Act 2010 also applies to online spaces, meaning that employees are also protected from harassment and discrimination from emails, social media, online communication channels and work platforms they may be using. The Act means that employers have a legal duty to prevent, act on and address such conduct and failure to comply can lead to legal claims for unlawful discrimination or harassment.
Want to Talk to an Employment Law Specialist?
If you find yourself in a situation at work where you are being discriminated against and have experienced online harassment and therefore want to find out more information about what you can do, the laws and potentially make a claim, we recommend you contact an employment law firm like Nationwide Employment Lawyers who can discuss your claim and offer professional guidance and support you.
You can also consult the legislation that is set out by the ACAS Code of Practice on Discipline and Grievance Procedures. This gives you information on how to resolve workplace disputes.
We have extensive experience of harassment and discrimination, and we have a team of exceptional lawyers who are here to help you. We understand that this can be an incredibly stressful time so please call us on 0333 242 3851 and one of our expert team can help you.
