By Amanda Durish Cook
CARMEL, Ind. — MISO will require its managers to undergo training on handling harassment complaints amid heightened awareness over sexual misconduct in the workplace.
MISO Vice President of Human Resources Greg Powell announced the new training during a Dec. 5 Human Resources Committee of the Board of Directors meeting.
In response to a question from Director Mark Johnson, Powell also said HR and management will have additional discussions on sexual misconduct awareness in the first quarter of 2018. “What are we doing from an overall standpoint to make sure all employees feel safe?” Johnson asked.
The HR Committee also decided to reserve time during first-quarter meetings to take up the topic.
“News headlines in recent weeks remind all organizations of the importance of ensuring a respectful and professional workplace,” Powell said, referring to the spate of sexual harassment and assault accusations that have roiled the media, politics and other industries. “Even some in our energy industry have fallen to this very bad situation in the headlines.”
NERC CEO Gerry Cauley resigned last month after his arrest for assaulting his estranged wife after she allegedly discovered his relationship with a female subordinate. (See Cauley Resigns; NERC Launches Search for Replacement.)
Powell said MISO will initiate a longer, more intense training for managers that will cover “all workplace harassment issues” in addition to the existing annual springtime sexual harassment training required of all employees.
Director Barbara Krumsiek has also been tapped to advise leadership and the MISO board on preventing sexual harassment and addressing accusations. Krumsiek has served as senior industry fellow of Georgetown University’s Women’s Leadership Institute and has given a TED Talk on women making their way to C-suites in “toxic” cultures.
MISO urges employees to contact managers, HR and its legal department with complaints. The RTO also maintains an anonymous hotline.
Powell said MISO will continue to concentrate on training and increasing awareness among its HR ranks and management.
“In addition to a strong, comprehensive sexual harassment policy and regular training required annually for all employees, we are working to extend beyond the expected actions to involve employees at every level to support a strong, open and inclusive way of life,” Powell said. “This includes the recent launch of our Diversity and Inclusion Council and Women’s Resource Group, which were created to ensure we continue our steadfast focus on diverse viewpoints in the organization and our communities.”
The RTO currently has a 3.1 approval rating out of 5 on Glassdoor with a 36% CEO approval rating. Among more than 100 reviews by present and former employees are multiple references to MISO as an “old boys’ club” with “top-heavy” management.
“Creating a Women’s Resource Group and then promoting men who mistreat women (you know who I’m talking about) won’t fix MISO,” one anonymous reviewer identifying as a current MISO engineer said in a review posted in May.
MISO declined to say whether it has disciplined any employees for harassment or sexual misconduct, saying it considers all personnel-related information confidential.
