Workplace sexual relationship is breeding crazy stats in Nigeria.
Did you know that over 44% of females in Nigerian workplaces have reported sexual harrasment or abuse of any kind while another 34% of males have reported same?
Are you aware that if we factor in the cases that have gone unreported then these figures could easily hit the 70% mark for both sexes?
Interestingly, we never really ever look at the implications of this seeming epidemic on corporate existence
Most business owners and leaders when carrying out their threat analysis almost always never look at sex and its debilitating effects on its actual existence.
In summarising their threats, they look at the macro economic indices, government policies, regulations, market forces, supply and other such above the table issues that are very clear for every eye to see.
They never look at the issue of Sexual harrassment, abuse and its other very violent cousins rape and sexual violence.
By the time they circle back to it, they are enmeshed in a crisis.
In the last 10years, I have developed a keen interest in the issue of sex and its effects both positive and negative in the work place.
Sex in the workplace has its positives especially if you look at family owned businesses that come with different colourations – husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfried amongst others but the negatives quickly overpower what little positives that we can allude to.
Workplace Sex Usurps
Sexual harrasment attacks the very core of the structure that holds down the firm- human capital.
Human capital and its cohesion is the very fabric of a corporate and its cohesion and positive health is a very powerful fuel for growth.
The issue of sex goes at its very Foundations, attacks it and weakens it. It destroys heirarchy, discipline and cohesion leading to a harried approach towards corporate goals.
Furthermore, it exposes the corporate to legal attack thereby diverting attention and putting pressure on resources as all would be deployed to fight a legal battle which are usually long and unwinding.
This further bears down to the brand reputation which could be another mortal blow on the institution.
The firm drops in the scale of ‘good place to work’, could also lead to market boycotts in very serious cases, a culling of talented leadership amongst other such incisive vagaries that would not only weaken the firm but could lead to its premature death.
Some responsibile firms have begun to lay down very strict rules and guidelines that are meant to guide relations within its workforce.
Some of these include background changes checks at the point of employment, strict rules of behavior, trainings and impact scenario planning to prepare for a crises of a sexual nature.
Corporate Structures That Suffers
For me, a bad case of itinerent sexual iresponsibility in a firm, attacks the firn in four very critical areas- Human Capital, Legal, brand Reputation and finally weakens the whole structure thereby threatening its very existence
Business leaders and owners should if they have not started, to prioritise their building and enforcing structures that would curb to its bearest minimum incidences of a negative sexual nature within their system and where possible be on a constant alert with a well formulated crises management response format that would go very quickly with a fire hose type engagement at all four areas the crises would be attacking – HR, Legal, Brand Reputation and corporate existence.
It is expedient that we must all come to the very critical realisation that sexual threat is today one of the major threats to the effective achievement of corporate objectives and as such we must immediately engage it headlong.
*Duke of Shomolu*
P.S: The Duke’s Masterclass on sexual relatons in the workplace will be taking place on October 25th at the Radison blu VI in Lagos.
