To combat workplace harassment, BeeMail has introduced a new service. This interactive platform allows students and supporters to send warning emails to those who are committing acts of sexual harassment. So at the beginning of this year, Cheri Wolf and Sandy Lisonbee started an effort. Their mission is to provide employees with an affordable solution for managing workplace disputes. For an exorbitant $25 “donation,” an accuser can BeeMail someone. This BeeMail connects to The Wolf and the Bee, a new non-profit that aims to help workplace conflicts find their best resolution.
BeeMail messages will only be sent once per accused anti-worker action. This careful design ensures that the service cannot be weaponized or even used as an easy tool for harassment. The founders describe this as their killer feature. They think it will give users the ability to connect to the service right after an event happens, providing immediate assistance and preventing scenarios from worsening. And indeed, since its launch in February, the service has been limping along. Until now, only one person has taken advantage of it. Wolf and Lisonbee are quick to point out that many more laid the groundwork. After further discussion, they nixed the idea for good.
We’ve all been in the wrong, There’s so much more,” Cheri Wolf noted. She underscored that this email is intended to alert you to this issue and stop it from becoming a problem with your employer. Cheri wants you to think about how you engaged and work to do better next time.
Recognizing the need for privacy and labor law compliance, the founders worked BeeMail with legal credence to strike the right balance on various issues. They wanted to develop an industrial reporting mechanism that is more accessible and cost-effective for workers. This strategy serves people who may not feel safe or comfortable approaching their local HR department humanely.
Sandy Lisonbee, of the Moth, highlighted personal agency and accountability by naming their own accountability firm in the face of workplace harassment. It’s important to know and see why this frustrating process can be so liberating.
BeeMail is not meant to be an alternative to human resources departments, which most workers are likely to look at with distrust. Cappelli, an expert in workplace dynamics, noted that “What people don’t understand is that ultimately, HR works for the company and the employer organization.” He elaborated, adding that HR’s first duty is often to advise leadership, not represent individual employees.
The founders of BeeMail encourage users to view their service as a supplement to existing HR processes rather than a replacement. They understand that the reality is many employees will still need to work with those who harassed them. After all, as Wolf drove home, “You’re probably going to have to continue to interact with the person that’s stalking you.” He underscored the need for having an infrastructure for ongoing support that wraps around teachers.
BeeMail’s pricing model is designed to keep the service accessible while supporting The Wolf and the Bee’s mission. The non-profit provides tools and training designed to cultivate healthier workplaces and combat cultures of harassment and discrimination. While BeeMail isn’t intended to be a solution for extreme circumstances such as those experienced by high-profile actors and women such as Harvey Weinstein, it offers real relief to workers on the ground facing hostile conditions every day.
NK Beale, a worker who faced harassment described how her manager told her to quit. In her testimony, she remembered her superior encouraging her to quit. This thoughtful reflection underscores the push-and-pull experienced by so many workers who endure harassment. She went on, “It was all very bizarre. We had a great relationship, I thought I had a good rapport with him, I thought I could trust him.
According to Beale, she was fortunate to know about options sometimes skipped over by corporations. “They informed me of the options that every other company doesn’t want you to know about,” she observed. Getting and gathering the documents I needed for applying for leave was relatively easy for me.
At its core, the founders’ goal is to normalize conversations related to feedback and ownership. They hope this will level the playing field for all parties in a workplace dispute. We all need to get better about not being defensive,” Wolf continued. “We need to start normalizing this notion that we can hear criticism without reacting defensively. This proactive approach prevents circumstances that can lead to these targeted attacks. It creates an environment that develops open lines of communication.