SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR DELECTATION IN SMEs IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Sexual harassment at workplaces significantly infringes the fundamental rights of both men and women to gender equality and social justice. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether sexual harassment at workplaces significantly affects job satisfaction among workers in SMEs in the construction industry. The study employed a purely qualitative research methodology to carry out the study. Convenience sampling technique was employed to select the 50 (fifty) participants who took part in the study. All the 50 workers who participated in the study were drawn from ten (10) SME construction companies in the city of Masvingo in Zimbabwe. Data was solicited using a 14-item face to face interview guide which was developed by the researcher. Data was analyzed and interpreted using the thematic data analysis method. The study established that sexual harassment at workplaces directly and indirectly affects workers in the construction industry’s job satisfaction levels. Sexual harassment at workplaces results in decreased work performance; increased absenteeism, loss of job or career, loss of income, being objectified and humiliated, loss of trust in the types of people that occupy similar positions as the harasser or his or her colleagues. Sexual harassment also leads to psychological disorders of victims. All the effects of sexual harassment negatively affect job satisfaction for workers in the construction industry. The study recommended that all arms of government responsible for enforcing sexual harassment laws and regulations should closely monitor sexual harassment activities in organizations and impose prohibitive sanctions upon the perpetrators. Organizations should also punish all the perpetrators of sexual harassment at workplaces.