HARARE, ZIMBABWE – The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has undertaken a critical management training initiative focused on sexual harassment, a move prompted by a history of incidents within the organization and three active cases currently under review, including an alleged rape involving a staff member and a manager.
The July 28 workshop, facilitated by GMC at ZBC’s Pockets Hill headquarters, aimed to reinforce understanding, foster open discussion, and solicit actionable strategies to strengthen the national broadcaster’s pending sexual harassment policy.
With a workforce exceeding 900 employees, the urgency of comprehensively addressing sexual harassment at ZBC is profound. The presence of ongoing cases underscores the gravity of the situation and the critical need for a robust and effectively implemented policy. The alleged rape case, in particular, highlights the severe consequences of unchecked harassment and the imperative for decisive action.
The training session began with an interactive introduction, revealing that most participants held significant leadership roles, some managing over 100 staff members, with one overseeing more than 200. This high “span of control” emphasized their pivotal influence on shaping the corporation’s workplace culture. The facilitator stressed that management’s primary responsibility is to protect their personal and professional integrity, operating under the principle that “monkey see, monkey do” — meaning staff are likely to emulate behaviors observed from leadership. This underscored the vital role of leading by example in fostering a respectful environment.
Discussions during the workshop made clear that awareness of sexual harassment extends beyond personal discomfort, encompassing several critical dimensions. Ethically, it is essential to uphold dignity, respect, and safety for all employees. Legally, ignorance of what constitutes harassment is not a defense, making managers’ understanding of such definitions crucial to avoid violations. From a corporate integrity standpoint, ZBC, as a national broadcaster, bears a unique responsibility to reflect the highest ethical standards it promotes to the public. Finally, protecting the brand is paramount, as a toxic workplace culture, especially one that tolerates harassment, can severely damage the organization’s public image and erode employee morale and productivity.
A range of concerns and practical suggestions emerged from the management team. One participant highlighted discomfort with colleagues or managers leaning over their shoulders to view computer screens in shared workspaces, prompting a suggestion to invest in collaborative digital tools to reduce unnecessary physical proximity. Another concern raised involved the continuation of physical affection, such as hugging, after a colleague receives a promotion. In response, a “protocol or etiquette course” for new managers was proposed, designed to guide their transition from peer to supervisor and ensure professional boundaries are maintained.
In a collaborative exercise, two groups of managers developed a combined list of 14 practical strategies to prevent and address sexual harassment at ZBC. These ideas ranged from continuous and mandatory training for all staff levels to encouraging open communication through suggestion boxes and bystander intervention programs. Managers advocated for operationalizing the sexual harassment policy with clear procedures and introducing trained “Gender Champions” to handle confidential and sensitive reports. They also suggested installing monitoring tools like CCTV to deter and document misconduct, and implementing a fraternization policy to discourage romantic relationships at work.
Other critical proposals included the enforcement of stiff penalties for false claims to maintain the integrity of reporting, ensuring the harassment policy is clear, accessible, and available in all national languages, and establishing dedicated reporting channels specifically for harassment-related complaints. Significantly, managers also pointed to the need for infrastructure improvements, such as providing adequate workspace to minimize physical proximity and improving transport facilities to prevent overcrowding on staff buses, which can contribute to harassment. The suggestion of avoiding “risky manager-junior pairing” sparked debate, particularly given ZBC’s male-dominated leadership, but it highlighted a proactive approach to identifying potential risk factors.
Based on these discussions and presentations, GMC issued several key recommendations for ZBC. Regarding policy implementation and publicity, they urged the fast-tracking of board approval for the sexual harassment policy, ensuring it is widely publicized and translated into all national languages for maximum accessibility. For training and acknowledgement, they recommended making sexual harassment training compulsory for all new employees, including a policy sensitization session during onboarding with a signed acknowledgement of understanding. This same sensitization and signing process should also be rolled out for all existing staff.
Operationally, the recommendations included establishing clear and confidential reporting mechanisms, designating and training Gender Champions across all departments, and implementing the proposed protocol course for new managers. Finally, to improve the overall workplace environment, ZBC was advised to provide adequate workspaces to minimize unnecessary physical proximity and enhance transport facilities to prevent overcrowding.
The training served as a vital reminder of the immense responsibilities ZBC management holds in setting the tone for a respectful and safe workplace. Ensuring a harassment-free environment is not merely about establishing personal boundaries; it is a fundamental reflection of ZBC’s ethical, legal, and societal commitments as a national institution. Continued education, structural improvements, and robust policy enforcement will be essential in moving the organization forward and building a truly safe environment for its hundreds of employees.
