The shift to digital workspaces in recent years has had a profound impact on the way workforces structure themselves. In this span, many problems in workplaces have gotten solved.
At the same time, though, many problems persisted, albeit changing somewhat with the new interface. Unfortunately, harassment is one of these issues.
Sexual harassment in the digital era
New York Times looked into the continuation of harassment in the digital era. First off, sexual harassment continues even though some people find this surprising. Many people had a misconception that sexual harassment must have some physical component to it, but this is untrue.
In reality, even sending a vulgar and unwanted message to someone through instant messaging services could count as harassment. Victims in the digital workspace claim to deal with issues like this, along with unsolicited lewd photographs or even people exposing themselves on camera in video chats.
Ostracizing coworkers
In addition to sexual harassment, harassment via ostracizing victims also continues and even grows thanks to the digital medium of the modern workplace. For example, many workers have complained about the use of private chat channels. Groups of employees may band together, creating locked channels that no one else can access. They then use this channel to gossip or trash talk other employees, spreading rumors without their targets ever catching wind.
This can contribute to an unhealthy work environment and can even create a hostile environment if not taken care of early. Fortunately, one good thing about digital workplaces is that it is easier than ever to capture evidence of harassment. Anyone considering taking their case to court should start this documentation process as soon as possible.