ASK HR: My boss cracks jokes about women that I find offensive, demeaning

Q. What is the best way to get along with a boss you don’t respect? My boss is very unprofessional; he is fond of making crude jokes, many of which are demeaning to women. Most  of the people in the department I work in are men, and whenever we go for meetings, they tend to stray away from the agenda, telling anecdotes that I find offensive, but which the men think are funny. How do I handle all these, apart from looking for another job?

Most employees are not aware of what constitutes sexual harassment, therefore, they suffer in silence. The harassment might not be direct, but even when it is unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal, it is still unlawful and should not be tolerated. It might also be in the form of demand for sexual favours in exchange for benefits from the employer.

The Employment Act requires all employers who hire more than 20 employees to have a written and communicated sexual harassment policy. I would expect  the organisation you work for to have a policy in place.

It appears to me that you feel sexually harassed at the workplace by your boss and male colleagues. Normally, you would expect protection from your boss but his behaviour is aggravating the situation.

Start by informing your boss that you feel uncomfortable with the jokes and comments they make. This might jolt him back to reality and cause a change of behaviour on his part, as well as of your male colleagues.

However, if this approach fails, escalate the issue to your HR department to bring the policy into to effect with regard to your complaints.

You should be aware that it is usually very difficult to prove sexual harassment, therefore, make sure you have evidence in the form of an audio recording or a witness to the statements or gestures by your boss and  male colleagues. This will enable the HR department to initiate investigations into your complaints.

Of course if no resolution comes from it, then you are entitled to seek redress from the managing director of your organisation.

Sexual harassment is a serious offence, therefore the organisation is unlikely to treat your complaint lightly. If this does not bear fruit, then you can consider leaving the organisation and file a suit against the employer and your boss for sexual harassment.

If you choose to remain in the company, then you must continue respecting your boss to avoid being accused of insubordination.

You could also ask HR to relocate you to a different department where you don’t have to deal with this boss.