What Are Norwegian Leaders Doing To Prevent Sexual Harassment In Their Organization?

Abstract

Experiencing sexual harassment (SH) can affect the victim in both human and organizational terms. In Norway, leaders are obligated to prevent SH from taking place at their workplace. Despite this, the prevalence of SH at Norwegian workplaces is remarkably high and knowledge regarding what Norwegian leaders do to prevent SH in their organization is missing. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine what Norwegian leaders are doing to prevent SH in their organization by interviewing leaders regarding how they define SH, their awareness to the presence of a SH- policy in their organization and how this policy is established and implemented. In addition, the question regarding responsibility for the SH- policy and prevention work was discussed in these interviews. Through a thematic analysis of the semi- structured interviews with twelve Norwegian leaders presenting both the academia and big organizations, three primary categories emerged; clarity vs. “fuzziness”, certainty vs. uncertainty, and finally, proactive vs. reactive. The findings indicated that the leaders presented a clarity, however also “fuzziness” towards several important elements in regards to their prevention work for SH. Also, the leaders` certainty and uncertainty related to their SH- prevention work was presented. Finally, the leaders were perceived as both proactive and reactive in regards to actions conducted to prevent SH. The study indicates that Norwegian leaders have limited knowledge regarding their organization`s definition of SH and ZT for SH and that they are aware the presence of their SH- policy, but are lacking knowledge when it comes to the policy`s establishment and implementation. Finally, the leaders see the responsibility for their SH- policy and the SH- prevention work as theirs, but had limited knowledge related to what this prevention work actually includes. In further research, a representative sample of Norwegian leaders should be asked what they do to prevent SH at their workplace. Such a study could have led to the drawing of strong conclusions regarding the question; what are Norwegian leaders doing to prevent SH in their organization?