Reference no: EM132217263
Andrea is the supervisor of a group of auto mechanics, all of whom are men. She got the supervisory position when she decided to help build her father’s car dealership business after graduating with an honours undergraduate degree in business. Having been brought up in the family business, Andrea was well versed in automotive mechanics, and she kept up her technical knowledge in order to keep pace with developments in each new car year.
Andrea’s employees respect her technical knowledge. Some of them have known her all her life and, along with her father, taught her how to do an oil change, a tune-up, and more complex maintenance and engine repairs. But a few of the newer employees – those hired after Andrea went away to university – seem stand-offish and unresponsive to her attempts to build a good working relationship. Worse, she’s heard one of these guys, a man named George, make comments about her body, and lately, he’s been asking her for dates and finding excuses to touch her frequently. Andrea is becoming more and more uncomfortable in the garage, and she knows her discomfort is starting to hurt her ability to supervise her unit.
What should Andrea do? (Please choose your preferred solution and briefly explain from a leadership standpoint)
1. Do nothing. If she’s going to get along in a male-dominated industry, she has to learn to laugh at these kinds of things.
2. Speak to George privately, explain that his behaviour is making her uncomfortable, and ask him to stop.
3. Ask one of the senior mechanics whom she trusts to speak with George about his behaviour and tell him to stop.
4. The next time George touches her or asks her for a date in front of the other mechanics, tell him to stop bothering her, using a strong and assertive tone to ensure the group hears.
5. Document George’s behaviour: give him an oral warning the first time he touches her or asks her for a date, give him a written warning the next time, and the third time, fire him for sexual harassment.