Addressing Workplace Sexual Harassment Through Organizational Policy Messaging

This online experiment (N = 894) of working professionals in Kenya, South Africa, and the UK explored the potential impacts of organizational messaging on implementing anti-sexual harassment policies. After reading a victim focused, penalty focused, or neutral message, participants were tested on the Likelihood to Sexually Harass (LSH), Likelihood to Report (LR), Sexual Harassment Myth Acceptance (SHMA), and Ambivalent Sexism Inventory scales. Results showed the victim- and penalty-focused messages were a negative predictor of hostile sexism but not the remaining measures. The control was a positive predictor of LSH and a negative predictor of LR, indicating any messaging was better than none. Men had higher levels of LSH, SHMA, and hostile sexism, and lower levels of LR. UK participants were a positive predictor of LSH but notably, had lower levels of SHMA and ambivalent sexism. South African participants had higher levels of LR. The results show the need for organizations to increase their messaging on anti-sexual harassment policies as part of a pluralistic approach, while understanding the influence of culture and gender norms across multiple country contexts.