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After Luis Rubiales’ resignation as President of the Spanish Football Federation for kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso, at the Women’s World Cup closing ceremony, it serves as an appropriate time to take a closer look at the HR lessons that can be learned.
Kate Palmer, HR Advice and Consultancy Director at Peninsula, looks at the importance of managing working relationships and setting appropriate boundaries within the workplace...
Appropriate Boundaries
“No matter where you work, there should always be appropriate boundaries in place, and the environment in which you carry out your role should not affect the dynamic of managing working relationships or setting appropriate boundaries. Rubiales acted inappropriately towards Hermoso due to his action being an unwarranted physical one. Hermoso did not consent to Rubiales kissing her, and so, even in the case that Rubiales may have not intended to cause upset by his action, ultimately his actions are unacceptable due to both his position within the Spanish Football Federation and the fact that Hermoso did not consent to the kiss.
“Any unwarranted or unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature that makes someone feel intimidated, degraded, humiliated, or offended, even if it wasn’t originally intended to, is considered sexual harassment. This covers a wide range of actions, including but not limited to, flirting, gesturing, or making sexual remarks about someone’s body, clothing, or appearance, telling sexually offensive jokes, asking questions about someone’s sex life, sexual orientation, and touching someone against their will, including hugging or massaging.
