Sexual harassment has entered the remote workplace, as the casual nature of virtual and online communication blurs professional boundaries. Employers need to modify their HR policies to account for these new concerns, according to Rob Wilson, president of employment solutions firm Employco USA, headquartered in Westmont, Ill.
“We are seeing co-workers in their bedrooms instead of their cubicles. And instead of communicating in person, you’re chatting with your co-workers over Slack or Google,” he stated in a news release. “These workplace communications can easily begin to feel like an extension of social media—like your personal Facebook or Twitter page—leading employees to make more risqué jokes or even discuss politics or other touchy subjects that would normally be off the menu in a real office environment.”
