A manager discovers a cartoon depicting a person being humiliated in an act of a sexual nature. What should the manager do?

• A. Remove the cartoon and replace it with a notice that nothing may be posted without approval and that offensive material will not be acceptable in the workplace in any form
• B. Quietly take it down and destroy it with the hope that no one who may have seen it will have been offended, take action, and cause problems regarding its posting
• C. Laugh about it and announce that, while funny, "some people" may be bothered so that, sadly, it will have to come down; take down the cartoon and put it in a pocket
• D. Conduct an investigation, questioning everyone, showing them the cartoon; vow to fire the offender who posted the cartoon and make as public of a show as possible

Answer: (A)

Promoting a respectful, harassment-free workplace means acting promptly when offensive material appears. The first, most important step is to remove content that demeans or humiliates someone in a sexual way, so it stops causing harm and signals that such material has no place in the workplace. Replacing it with a clear notice about posting standards—specifying that nothing may be posted without approval and that offensive material will not be tolerated—helps establish consistent expectations going forward. This approach protects employees, reduces risk, and shows that management is serious about maintaining a professional environment.

Taking it down quietly or destroying it without communicating the policy leaves questions about what is allowed and why; it also avoids setting a clear standard for the future. Laughing it off or publicizing a harsh punishment can undermine trust, trivialize the harm, and create a culture of fear rather than accountability. Conducting a broad, public investigation with punitive publicity may be appropriate later if policy violations are confirmed, but the immediate action should be to remove the material and reinforce the rules so everyone understands the boundary and the consequences of crossing it.