In the #MeToo Era, Policies Are Not Enough

The #MeToo movement has made us more aware of pervasive sexual harassment, but harassment based on every protected characteristic—including race, religion, age, and national origin—is pervasive and persistent. Former EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum, now a director of workplace culture consulting at Morgan Lewis, says companies must take a more proactive approach to tackling cultural problems that lead to harassment and sap productivity. She explains that, for many years, employers thought that the way to stop harassment was to have a policy that says you can't harass people. But because harassment stems from deep-seated cultural forces, a policy alone isn't enough. It takes positive steps to foster a workplace culture that is safe, respectful, diverse and actively inclusive rather than merely not exclusive.