New manual also includes policy, risk management templates and video case studies
The International Labour Organisation has launched a new training manual aimed at helping employers prevent and address violence and harassment in workplaces.
The new training manual, which can be adapted to specific national contexts, has a comprehensive training course with practical tools and strategies for employer and business membership organisations (EBMOs).
"It also includes policy and risk management templates, a staff survey, and three real-life video case studies showing how enterprises have successfully addressed and prevented violence and harassment at work," the ILO said in its media release.
Upon completing the course, the ILO said EBMOs will be able to understand what constitutes violence and harassment in workplaces, as well as have the tools they need to assess risks, identify cases, and improve their existing policies and practices.
"Promoting safe and respectful workplaces is a priority for the ILO's employer constituents and their members," said Deborah France-Massin, Director of the ILO Bureau for Employers' Activities, in a statement.
"By helping businesses manage these critical issues, EBMOs can enhance their service offering, drive value for their members, and support sustainable, positive changes in the world of work. It directly impacts enterprise performance."
The training course, which is a follow-up to the ILO's 2022 Violence and Harassment at Work: a Practical Guide for Employers, was developed with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida.
It was also developed after requests from EBMOs amid the pervasive problem of violence and harassment in workplaces. In 2022, one out of five people had experienced violence and harassment at work, according to the ILO.
The situation comes despite the rapid commitments of member states to ILO's Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190), which aims to protect workers and other persons in the world of work, including interns, apprentices, volunteers, jobseekers, job applicants, among others.
It is the fastest-ratified ILO Convention of the past decade, with 45 member states, including Australia, having ratified it in that time.
Last year, ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo called on other member states to ratify Convention 190 to stamp out violence and harassment in workplaces.
"Together, we can create a more inclusive world of work and ensure social justice for all. Let us unite to stop this violence before it begins," he said.
