THIRD PARTY HARASSMEN: All You Need To Know About It
Susan has just been employed as a marketer in AB&C bank. It is her job to secure new customers who will open account with the bank. The bigger the deposits they make, the more money she earns. A client she is trying to secure keeps pressuring her for sexual favours in exchange for his deposit. The bank management pretends not to know what their marketers encounter on the field. In fact, they have a policy prohibiting workers form having unprofessional relationships with clients, YET, they do nothing to protect the employees whose payments are at the mercies of the client. The policy is just to safeguard the company from liability.
Ken is a nurse attendant at Holly Hospital. After attending to a patient, he turned his back to leave and the patient 'playfully' slapped his behind, leaving him in shock. His superior said there's nothing to be done. The patient is not an employee.
Sean, a VIP client insists that a White, male doctor must be the one to treat him because he does not believe that women can be that intelligent.
Maria runs a food business as a solo preneuer. An influencer paid half the amount to be completed upon delivery. The customer kept making snide and inappropriate remarks which she overlooked for the sake of securing the deal. She prepared the meal and wants to deliver same through a dispatch rider, but the customer insists that she must be the one to deliver it to his house, else he will not accept the order or pay the remaining fee.
She refused to refund the initial deposit because he made a specific request and she prepared it to his taste. She had already spent money curating the order to his taste and is already running at a loss since no one is willing to pay for. He went to the internet to call our her business for fraud.
In all of these, the harassment took place at the work place, in the course of one's employment, however, it was not carried out by a worker or employee, rather, it is perpetuated by someone outside the organisation - a client, potential client, patient, supplier, external supervisor etc. This is third party Harassment
"Customers are always right" they say, but at whose expense, and at what cost?
Sometimes, in a bid to foster good client relationship and boost sales, companies often sacrifice their worker's rights, dignities and overlook harassment perpetuated by 3rd parties.
Third parties Harassment are workplace harassment suffered by persons outside yet connected with the organisation like suppliers, vendors, patients, external auditors, investors, inspectors, clients etc.
And this is often overlooked and downplayed as normal workplace incidence. Workers are told that they should 'be prepared for such'.
Third Party Harassment includes physical battery, verbal abuse, racial or sexist discrimination, unsolicited sexual remarks and outright sexual Harassment.
With social media turning the world into a global market place, incidence of third part Harassment is on a record high. Social media allows more and more interactions with third party including people who are not clients. As of 2024, Global ecommerce sales are expected to total $6.09 trillion, hence, every internet surfer is considered a potential market Ans many organisations do not want to lose good standing with potential market even at employees expense.
However, organisations have a duty to protect their client from third party harassment, it is incidental to their duty not to create hostile work environment, and this can be done by:
1. Making strong Zero tolerance policies and making same known not just to employees but also suppliers, clients etc in their contract.
2. Train Employees & Managers to Respond to third party Harassment, how to de-escalate such situation, exit plan, reporting mechanism etc
3. By not turning a blind eye and holding Third Parties Accountable, including terminating contract.
4. Empower Employees to Remove Themselves from abusive customers without penalty.
5. Publicly commit to a culture of accountability.
Steps taken should be proactive not reactive. They should be envisaged and plans pit in place to tackle them without Judgment or penalties.
MYTHBUSTER: MYTHS ABOUT THIRD PARTY HARASSMENT.
Myth 1: Only coworkers or colleagues can harass employees.
Truth: Third-party harassment happens when customers, clients, vendors, or other non-employees harass workers. It is still the employer's responsible to tackle and put policies in place to address and prevent it.
Myth 2: Employees must tolerate third party harassment because "the customer is always right."
Truth: Harassment shouldn't be tolerated or condoned for business sake.
Myth 3: Third place Harassment are normal & incidental business risks and part of the job.
Truth: They are not occupational hazard. They are deliberate and intentional actions by the perpetuator who chooses to do it.
Myth 4: Employers can’t do anything about third-party harassment since the harasser doesn’t work for them.
Truth: Employers are legally obligated to intervene as they have a duty to not prevent hostile work environment.
Myth 5: Reporting third-party harassment won’t lead to retaliation.
Truth: 72% of people who report workplace harassment face retaliation, including being denied promotions, scrutinized, or even fired. Employers should have strong anti-retaliation policies in place.
Myth 6: Only physical harassment matters.
Truth: Harassment includes verbal abuse, inappropriate jokes, stalking, unwanted advances, and online harassment. All forms should be taken seriously.
Myth 7: If the harassment isn’t repeated, it isn't much of a deal.
Truth: A single severe incident can create a hostile work environment and should be addressed immediately.
Myth 8: Employees should just avoid difficult customers.
Truth: It’s not the employee’s responsibility to dodge harassment. The workplace should enforce policies that protect staff rather than putting the burden on them.
Myth 9 Third-party harassment is only a problem in customer-facing jobs.
Truth: While it's common in retail, healthcare, and hospitality, third-party harassment can happen anywhere, including professional services, tech, and remote work settings.
STATS ON THIRD PARTY HARASSMENT.
Trade Union Congress poll of over 1,000 women, show that 39% of workplace Harassment was perpetuated by a third party, such as a client, customer, or patient (people outside the organisation).
More than half of the victims of third party Harassment are women between the ages of 18-34.
SPOTLIGHT: LIVE TO REMEMBER
In 2023, FINANCIAL TIMES reported a men's only charitable event that has been running for 33 years.
103 hostess were made to sign an NDA they were not given time to read. And then spread across the room to tender to men described by the host as 'somewhat annoying men'.
All of the hostess were made to wear skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heel. They suffered series and series of Harassment throughout the night by the elite of British Society who were 'donating to charitable causes'.
As expected. All organisers and those involved denied having any knowledge of the Harassment 'given the class and calibre of men that were present' as if Harassment is a middle to lower class problem.
This is a case of ORGANISATIONAL SANCTIONED THIRD PARTY HARASSMENT. It has been done before, they ANTICIPATED its occurrence and provided for it by making the hostess sign NDA, seized their phones before hand and made them wear suggestive clothes'.
"Instead of treating third party Harassment like the problem that it is, employers not only turn a blind eye, they now weaponise it bait predatory clients with deep pockets by making employees dress or act a certain way. Employees are now handed down to predators like treats on a platter. Third party Harassment, is, to them, just another money making tactics"
This is not the first case of ORGANISATIONAL SANCTIONED THIRD PARTY HARASSMENT. We see banks send marketers fo secure big clients while 'pretending not know' what their employees face. We see companies use certain looking type of women on the front desk as receptionists to bait clients, while pretending not to see what they suffer. Third part Harassment is now a well accepted and permissible workplace culture.
Some companies try to shield themselves from liabilities but putting out CAVEAT 'warning employees not to indulge in unprofessional relationships with clients', yet, fail to protect employees from such and even put them in vulnerable positions.
Many organisations willingly sacrifice their workers to clench unto or please abusive customers, all the while, CHOOSING NOT TO SEE the Harassment suffered by employees.
Organisations must stop playing blind or even putting employers at such vulnerable positions while holding unto caveats. It is not the employee's job alone to address third party Harassment. It is the employer's duty to not create hostile work environment.or bait clients using subtle seduction.
(Founder: SheResonance)
ABOUT US:
SheResonance is a media awareness groups that breaks down complex issues of women's right into easily digestible form. We believe the first step to mental emancipation is our ability to identify our chains.
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Email: sheresonance@gmail.com
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