Alternative Responses

Here are some statements supervisors should never make when an employee makes a complaint. Click each statement below to reveal an alternative response.

Navigate to the Say something like buttons to review the Alternative Responses.

Instead of saying:

"It was probably just a joke."

Say something like:

“There is nothing funny about jokes that offend others.”

Instead of saying:

"You know, boys will be boys."

Say something like:

“The behavior you described is unacceptable.”

Instead of saying:

"That doesn’t sound too bad to me."

Say something like:

“I understand what was said offended you.”

Instead of saying:

"You’re just being too sensitive."

Say something like:

“You have every right to feel the way you do.”

Instead of saying:

"I’m sure they didn’t mean anything by it."

Say something like:

”We take any inappropriate conduct very seriously.”

Instead of saying:

"Just ignore them and it will go away."

Say something like:

“The behavior you described will not go ignored and will be addressed.”