From Regulatory Compliance to Holistic Wellness

Overcoming the Defensive Approach

Traditional workplace harassment management has historically focused on defense: avoiding lawsuits, complying with the law, and punishing perpetrators.

However, leading-edge organizations are moving toward an offensive and positive approach.

It is no longer enough to "not harass"; the goal now is to actively promote well-being.

This means designing workplaces that are not only physically safe, but psychologically enriching.

It is about moving from the prevention of psychosocial risks (avoiding harm) to the promotion of mental health (fostering resilience and satisfaction), with the understanding that a happy employee is immunologically more resistant to toxicity.

The Healthy Organization Concept (HERO Model)

Modern occupational psychology introduces the concept of Healthy and Resilient Organizations (HERO).

These entities are characterized by healthy organizational practices (resourcefulness, autonomy, inspirational leadership), healthy employees (with high self-efficacy and engagement) and healthy organizational outcomes (service excellence and social responsibility).

In this model, the absence of harassment is only the minimum baseline, the "floor".

The "ceiling" is the creation of an ecosystem where respect and collaboration flow naturally, making harassing behaviors systemically incompatible and rejected by the group itself without the need for police intervention.

ISO 45003 and Global Standards

Globally, the publication of ISO 45003 has been a milestone, being the first international standard to provide practical guidelines for managing psychological health at work.

Adopting these voluntary standards sends a powerful message to the marketplace and to employees.

The standard calls for identifying psychosocial hazards (such as excessive workload or poor leadership) and controlling them as rigorously as fire risk