Navigating Today’s Workplace for Employers and Employees: Breaking Down Harassment

This multi-panel series is aimed at providing both employers and employees with insights into navigating the workplace in today’s environment in order to promote engagement and retention. The goal is to engender a highly productive, satisfied, and safe workplace by creating transparency for all, preventing conflict, and promoting resolution of disputes and other unsatisfactory conditions. The series topics are developed to be relevant to those from entry level to leadership positions, to empower you to elevate the AEC industry for yourself and your colleagues.

Session One: Breaking Down Harassment
To achieve a more equitable workplace, we must not turn a blind eye to challenging situations. Session One will examine contemporary instances of harassment in the AEC workplace with the goal of better understanding how these issues can be addressed by all members of the firm to achieve a safe and respectful workplace.

Beginning with a legal definition of harassment, we will look at case studies provided anonymously by registrants and answer some of the questions surrounding harassment:

• Is this unlawful harassment?
• What are firms required to do to protect their employees when harassment occurs?
• What is the employee’s responsibility for reporting harassment?
• What are best practices for firm leadership to address misconduct and maintain a safe workplace?
• What can you do as an employee if your efforts to address misconduct are not supported by your firm?

Panelists
Nicole Dosso, Director, SOM
Joel Peterson, Associate/Chief Operations Officer, Goshow Architects
Christina Joy F. Grese, Special Counsel, Duane Morris
Deborah Chase, Director of Structural Engineering, GPI

Moderator
Dr. Sissy Nikolaou, Assistant Vice President and Principal, WSP USA