Networking Without Fear

The rules of the road in your office are probably pretty well-known.

Employee handbooks, your policies and procedures, and periodic anti-harassment training set clear expectations for behavior. This not only protects your brand and clients but also your staff, who expect to come to work every day in a safe and respectful environment.

But when you are at an accounts receivable management industry event, outside the four walls of your office, do those rules still apply?

The answer, of course, is yes. In recent years, a wave of business leaders have been exposed for harassment and bad behavior, some of which occurred at professional conferences. In a survey conducted by Smarts Consulting LLC, 60% of the respondents reported having experienced harassment at a meeting at some point in their careers, Collector magazine Managing Editor Anne Rosso May reports in the October issue.

“Far too many individuals do not realize (or appreciate) that the corporate code of conduct applies equally to behavior inside and outside of the office,” said Steve Wiesner, CEO of pelotonRPM, a compliance and HR training platform provider.

Why do these off-site events sometimes muddy the waters of expected professional behavior?

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