Today, many people work remotely or in hybrid settings. Online jobs provide many opportunities, such as saving on travel costs, flexible hours and increased productivity. Those who work online may also find themselves interacting less with their co-workers. This can mean that there are fewer issues of harassment and discrimination. However, employers may still find themselves the target of workplace harassment online.
There are many ways harassers can target their victims online. Employees should take notice of when they are the target of virtual workplace harassment and understand what they can do to protect themselves. Here is what you should know:
What are the signs of cyber harassment?
Cyber harassment occurs when a harasser targets a person on online platforms. Employees may be especially vulnerable to cyber harassment on online platforms used for work. There are a few types of virtual workplace harassment employees should be aware of, including the following:
- Cyberbullying: An employee may receive inappropriate emails, photos, calls or texts from a co-worker. These correspondences may include threats of violence, discriminatory names or suggestive or lewd images or comments.
- Digital stalking: An employee may find that a co-worker has found some of their personal information, such as their private social media accounts, home address, personal emails and phone number. This co-worker may use this information to send threatening or suggestive comments over several platforms.
- Doxxing: A co-worker may reveal an employee’s personal information (home address, phone number, etc.) in public online spaces. This could be seen as an invasion of the employee’s privacy and also lead to their endangerment.
Digital workplace harassment can have serious impacts on employees. An employee may not only be less engaging and productive but also face emotional and reputational damage.
How can employees address virtual workplace harassment?
Employees do not have to suffer from cyber harassment forever. When cyberbullying begins, employees may need to address these issues and their concerns with their employees. If the issue is not resolved, an employee may need to reach out for legal guidance to learn what they can do next.