Quote: Horseradish @ 1st November 2013, 8:06 PM GMTBut the same was true of working conditions for secretaries - and many of those generations think in much the same way. To them, the modern emphases are not only different but often insubstantial and wrong. I don't think they are right. But I don't think any generation so far has got it right - at least not in Britain.
The whole sexual harassment in the workplace thing is a minefield; I suspect it has contributed to the rise of online dating. In the past the workplace was where you were most likely to meet a partner, but now you are frightened to smile at a member of the opposite sex in the office unless you give offence.
Since sexual harassment is essentially an abuse of power, you would have thought increasing workplace equality and female empowerment would have taken the heat out of the issue, but in reality the reverse seems to be true. Women seem more sensitised to attention, and more anxious to protect themselves. One suspects that efforts to raise awareness of the issue might have been just a little too successful.
I have never had any problems with female staff, in most cases they have continued to come to me for help and advice long after I have ceased to be their manager; but even so as hems and blouses have been self-consciously adjusted, I have found myself thinking, oh come on I wasn't even looking... Only then you start questioning yourself, well was I looking? Okay, maybe but only a glimpse, I wasn't leering or anything, just noticing, I can't help noticing... oh hell, maybe I am a perv, but what am I supposed to do, fit f**king blinkers?
You can start to see why the imans began insisting on women wearing niqabs.
Of course changing gender roles mean that these days it is as likely to be female bosses flirting with male subordinates, but on the whole men seem less threatened by this. On the one occasion a female manager openly made a pass at me, I was uninterested but really rather flattered. She was ever such a nice lady and I felt comfortable that I would be able to decline politely without repercussions other than a little awkwardness.