You have recruited a diverse workforce that includes a range of ages, ethnicities, religions and worldviews. How do you create a culture of inclusion and respect so that harassment and bias have no place in your establishment? Culture is determined by the prevailing mindset of your organization. Your first challenge as a leader is to embody the mindset you wish to foster; the second is to ensure that mindset prevails throughout all members of your team; and third, you must enunciate the best practices of your operation and stand up for them daily. The restaurant industry experiences more sexual harassment claims than any other US sector, with 90% of female and 70% of male employees reportedly experiencing sexual harassment. In the era of #metoo, keeping your culture front and center promises a sustainable, powerful solution to stop bad workplace behavior.
In this panel, we will share best practices to:
- Build a culture of respect, from interview to exit
- Bridge the cultural and communication gaps within our exceptionally diverse employee base
- Address common behaviors that can create a harassing environment, such as nicknames, jokes, and physical touches, without losing the camaraderie that makes your team tick
- Encourage employees who feel victimized to voice their concerns
- Put practices in place that protect your team from challenging or offensive third parties, such as guests, vendors, and contractors
- Identify the behaviors that create a hostile work environment and create strategies for removing them from your workplace.
- Create opportunities for open and honest dialogues with team members