An Analysis of Sexual Harassment among Females in Banking Sector based on Four Factor Theory of Sexual Harassment

Abstract

The present study investigates various elements which could lead towards enhancing or minimizing the level of sexual harassment experience at workplace extracted from four factor theory. This current study is done with a proactive approach for dealing with the menace of sexual harassment at workplace and victim’s approach is applied to identify various elements enhancing or minimizing the level of sexual harassment experience at workplace. Elements investigated in this study include attractiveness, office setup, work ethics, organization policy, sex role and job status. Data is collected from females as especially in Pakistan females are considered to be the victim of sexual harassment at workplace. Workplace setting selected for this study is banking sector. Banking sector is flourishing rapidly in Pakistan and females are a valuable resource of this sector. Data is collected through survey questionnaires asking questions from female respondents about various elements of sexual harassment experience at workplace from randomly selected branches of 25 commercial banks in Lahore.

Regression Analysis technique was employed so that most significant elements could be predicted which either are enhancing or helping in minimizing sexual harassment experience at workplace. Attractiveness, Work Ethics and Office Set Up and organization policy are the elements which are found to be significant predictor of sexual harassment experience at workplace.

This research study is important for organizations, policy makers, law makers, academicians and managers. It will guide them to eradicate those elements which are the cause of enhancing sexual harassment experience at workplace. This study is a step towards in investigating about the most significant predictors at Pakistan’s workplace so that all stake holders could take preventive steps before sexual harassment could harm their organizational repute.