Threat Mitigation Issues Modern Business

¶ … Threat Mitigation Issues

Modern business administration requires strategic foresight, operational planning, and a comprehensive understanding of contemporary legal issues and an appreciation of all reasonable elements of the threat environment and all associated potential risks to the health, safety, and welfare of persons on the premises. A comprehensive policy capable of addressing all contemporary issues that could arise in connection with the vocational environment should include policy components for sexual harassment in the workplace, discrimination, physical security, and the personal protection of principals, employees, clients, customers, and guests of the organization.

An effective sexual harassment policy must provide an accurate outline of impermissible conduct to all employees in conjunction with ethics training provided by the organization, ideally immediately upon their hiring or shortly thereafter. Part of that training should include definitive policy statements that the organization maintains a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment issues. Likewise, a modern organization must also maintain a similar zero-tolerance policy with respect to all forms of discrimination, particularly those forms of discrimination defined by constitutional and state law.

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, concerns over the physical security of facilities and the personal protection of individuals have become much more prominent features of organizational policies and procedures. Generally, appropriate policies in this regard must include plans for the safe evacuation of the facility, plans for sheltering in place, as well as strict policies and procedures for ensuring that unauthorized individuals cannot obtain access to the premises or to the network infrastructure.

Conclusion:

Contemporary business organizations face many different types of threats to their interests including those caused internally by the conduct of employees and those caused by external factors such as terrorism and other specific threats to the physical safety and security of people and property. In most cases, threats arising from employee conduct can be effectively mitigated by explicit policies and procedures implemented by the organization. In that regard, ethical training of all employees is essential, especially with respect to sexual harassment and discrimination. Sexual harassment issues in particular expose the organization directly to substantial liability unless supervisors and mangers are well trained to respond immediately and appropriately to any report of sexual harassment or hostile work environment situations.

Similarly, federal and state law impose specific requirements on professional organizations that absolutely prohibit many forms of discrimination, such as with respect to race, culture, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. While formal policies and procedures cannot possibly eliminate the potential development of every conceivable issue or occurrence of this nature, they go a long way toward minimizing those risks and any liability arising in connection with inappropriate conduct of employees of the organization.