Action or inaction: bystander intervention in workplace sexual harassment

Abstract

A promising approach to the persistent problem of workplace sexual harassment (SH) is encouraging interventions by bystanders. Adopting a typology developed by Bowes-Sperry and O'Leary-Kelly that considers the level of immediacy and involvement of bystander interventions, this study explored 74 detailed descriptions of SH events that occurred in Australian workplaces. The findings reveal that despite the hidden nature of SH, there is significant involvement of actors who are not direct targets but their actions are frequently delayed, temporary or ineffective. The study makes two contributions to the study and practice of HRM. First, it provides important evidence of the different ways that bystanders respond to SH in real workplaces and the relative likelihood of these actions. Second, the study points to relevant contextual features evident in the scenarios described which determine if and how bystanders intervene. We discuss the utility of the bystander framework for future research and practice, including the development of bystander interventions as a potentially innovative response to the persistent and damaging problem of workplace SH.

Keywords:

• bystander intervention
• complaint-handling
• management response
• sexual harassment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

^1. An ‘instance’ refers to a unique configuration of people involved and workplace circumstances; in some sources, there was more than one instance of bystander involvement.

^2. In the remaining third, the gender of the bystander was not obvious. A common example was where the involvement of a line manager was reported but their gender was unspecified.

Additional information

Funding

The research was supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery grant [DP1093442].