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  Training your workforce to recognize and understand a hostile work environment requires learning what constitutes discrimination and harassment. Discrimination and harassment are the foundation of a hostile work environment, but there are other factors to consider in training your workforce. Training objectives should include defining what the term "hostile work environment" means, how to recognize harassment that rises to this level and how to prevent harassment that creates a hostile work environment.
  
  

Understanding What "Hostile Work Environment" Means

• The phrase "hostile work environment" generally accompanies a discrimination complaint when an employee feels unlawful harassment rises to a level that creates an environment in which the employee cannot work, due to unreasonable and undue hostility. Harassment on the part of employees, supervisors, managers or even customers can become unlawful if the bases include those covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 -- race, color, sex, national origin or religion. The U.S. Equal Employment Commission enforces laws prohibiting employment discrimination. The first objective in training to understand what constitutes a hostile work environment is learning what types of behavior and actions are covered by Title VII.
  
  

Recognizing a Hostile Work Environment

• Without the ability to put yourself in the shoes of another person, it can be difficult to deliver training on how to recognize all the signs of a hostile work environment. Nevertheless, you can determine if harassment is pervasive and continual. Harassment that goes beyond off-handed comments, an occasional misstep or embarrassing remark is easily recognizable. One important objective is conveying an important message to supervisors and managers: an employer can be held liable for supervisors and managers who ignore, encourage or refuse to put a stop to unlawful harassment. Following decisions in two high-profile cases involving hostile work environments, the EEOC reiterated its position on employer liability when it stated: "The Commission's long-standing guidance on employer liability for harassment by co-workers remains in effect -- an employer is liable if it knew or should have known of the misconduct, unless it can show that it took immediate and appropriate corrective action."
  
  

Preventing Unlawful Harassment

• The underlying cause for a hostile work environment is unlawful harassment; therefore, the way to prevent unlawful harassment is through training about anti-discrimination laws and statutes. In addition to training, employers prevent unlawful harassment through implementation of workplace policies that spell out consequences for those who engage in prohibited discriminatory behavior. Encouraging respectful behavior in the workplace is another way to prevent unlawful harassment. An objective on which to focus is the benefit to employees and employers. According to the International Labour Organization, there are distinct advantages to maintaining a workplace free from discrimination: "Everyone gains from eliminating discrimination at work - individuals, enterprises and society at large. Fairness and justice at the workplace boosts the self-esteem and morale of workers."