Quick UK question

[donutsweeper]

Do companies have those mandatory sexual harassment seminars over there? (They purport to teach what is considered appropriate behavior in the workplace.)

eta- If it were called a course instead, would it work better in your mind?

Comments

[jadesfire.livejournal.com]

Some do, some don't. Everywhere must have a sexual harrassment policy, but the 'seminar' culture isn't really a UK thing in general. There's a lot of work-related training, but it tends to be skill/job focussed rather than this kind of thing.

A big organisation (big law firm, government jobs) might have sessions for managers on spotting and dealing with it, but otherwise, if you had one, it would probably mean there was a problem in your department/team, if you see what I mean. Nowhere I've worked has them for the average worker.

Does that answer the question? I don't want to say "NO!" because someone will pop up to say that their workplace has them, but we definitely wouldn't call it a seminar - a 'course' would be more normal, and would be unusual.

I think. [/vauge]

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

*grumbles* I was afraid of that. Oh well.

Thanks!

[jadesfire.livejournal.com]

:S Sorry! It wouldn't be outside plausibility if you got the terminology right, and some places may have them regularly. Just call it a 'course' rather than a seminar and have an 'expert' come in from outside to give it rather than being part of the normal work-run.

We're not really into that kind of training over here for some reason...

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Lucky you!

(My idea was for tw100's "Trapped" to have the team stuck at one of those seminars. Would it work at all if it was reworded to be called a sexual harassment course?)

[jadesfire.livejournal.com]

*g* Ups and downs, I think.

(Yeah, that would work, definitely. We just use different words - the 'trapped' bit is pretty universal ;))

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Oh YAY! Thank you! :)

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

Not when I was working, but that's a few years ago now.

Although having said that I have a vague memory (and I'm going back a few jobs) when I worked for a Housing Association of there being some courses on the subject, day courses. And they'd be aimed, in particular, at people who came into regular day-to-day contact with the tenants.

Ooh, in fact I've just remembered. I had to send our Receptionist on one once - not that I needed to for her, but I was told by 'on high' that all Receptionists had to go. Ditto the man who took the rents and did the money stuff.

So, yes, in certain organistions, like Housing Associations, it is likely some staff would go on a course.

Certainly I never went on one.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

So, if one were mentioned in a UK fanfic (calling it a mandatory sexual harassment course) you wouldn't think to yourself, 'what stupid American wrote that? Those don't exist here!'

[yamx]

Nonono, you can't do that! Jack is NEVER going to get out of there! Neither is Owen! That's a fate worse than CoE!

;)

P.S.: You'll post it here when you're done, right? Or will I have to watch somewhere else to make sure I don't miss it? I don't know what tw100 is...

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

tw100 is a torchwood drabble community. I'll post a link to it there (if I write it, which I probably will), but I use this journal to keep track of all my fic, so just watching here is fine. :)

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

Not in general, no. I wouldn't.

I might if the fic was about road sweepers or farmers, for instance, or people who never came into contact with another soul during their working life (although in some companies they'd be the first people to be sent on such a course *g*)

But other than that, no. Although, I'd use the word 'compulsory' or 'required'; they both tend to be more common here than 'mandatory'.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Compulsory, thanks! :)

[yamx]

Oh, it's going to be a drabble? :( Nothing against drabbles, it's just that I could see this work really well as a ficlet or short fic... Maybe you could make an extended version? *puppy dog eyes*

I'll be watching out for it either way. :)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. We'll have to see what the ol' muse demands.

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

Not in the NHS. We have an equality/whistle blowing/bullying policy but telling people about it is not part of the yearly mandatory training. We *do* have assertiveness workshops and the like so you could could find a way of bringing it in call it a course, study day or a workshop rather than a seminar though.
If you're interested yearly mandatory training includes
Moving and handling
basic life support
fire lectures
infection control updates
falls policy updates
Confidentiality and data protection

and probably lots more that I can't remember.

We also had a nice bloke from outside come in and do a day about 'shared leadership' which was great fun and involved string handcuffs.

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

In a 'crown' organisation it's called mandatory training - at least it is in the NHS and the branches of the civil service with which I'm familiar (ex works with MOD).

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

But would you accept TW as a team that would have to go to such a meeting?

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

Yup. Crown organisation with bells on, aren't they? *g*
It'll be one of those things that they moan about all the time, but still go so they avoid inspections and the like I'm sure.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

exactly! :)

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

That's interesting to know, thank you. In the HA and Uni I worked in the term mandatory wasn't used.