PLAY NICE
PLAYGROUND RULES FOR RESPECT IN THE WORKPLACE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Workplace Sexual Harassment Redefined with the Help of Playground Rules Authors embolden victims and bystanders to address bad behavior on the spot
Dallas, TX — Recently, the media has been saturated with stories and cases of sexual harassment in countless workplaces.
Bringing this issue to light has not only sparked awareness of the prominence of sexual harassment but also created a number of social justice movements, such as Time’s Up and #MeToo. However, despite the ubiquity of the subject, identifying and dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace is often difficult and complicated for both victims and bystanders. In Play Nice: Playground Rules for Respect in the Workplace (Brown Books Publishing Group), authors Brigitte Gawenda Kimichik, JD and JR Tomlinson simplify the issue and give elementary rules to help men and women identify, stop, and avoid sexual harassment in the workplace. “Our goal for this book is to help women — and men — deal with sexual harassment in the workplace when it occurs — as a victim or bystander — to stop the behavior in its tracks, and to help women draw a line of professionalism and respect when it comes to bad behavior,” says Kimichik. Play Nice uses real experiences from the authors — who both worked in male-dominated industries for over 30 years — other personal accounts, and shocking statistics to examine the causes and history of sexual harassment and provide solutions that will lead to a respectful work environment. Kimichik and Tomlinson clearly establish the difference between acceptable and inappropriate work behavior, thereby empowering workers to create healthy boundaries and be dependable allies for their colleagues. Kimichik and Tomlinson use “playground rules” to discern inappropriate behavior in the sandbox, which represents the close quarters where women and men work together; the working environment of the company or business is represented by the playground. “Our goal with these terms is to have the readers take a step back and imagine themselves where they may have first interacted with girls and boys. Whether it was a playground or a yard at school, the reader was likely required to obey rules of conduct or behavior while at play. Following these rules likely made play in the sandbox safer and promoted a healthier and successful playground,” notes Kimichik. The simplified context of Play Nice helps clarify the often convoluted nature of sexual harassment. “The book is meant to be a resource and guide for all working adults in order to create necessary changes in workplace environments that will ultimately lead to positivity and prosperity among businesses and their employees,” says Tomlinson. “For real change to occur, it is imperative that we all start holding ourselves responsible for ensuring everyone is treated respectfully. Play Nice is a giant step in the right direction,” states Vanessa Fox, Chief Development Officer for Jack in the Box.
### The Agency at Brown Books Contact: Cathy Williams | 972-248-9500 Cathy.Williams@TheAgencyAtBB.com www.TheAgencyAtBB.com
Play Nice: Playground Rules for Respect in the Workplace Kimichik & Tomlinson | 978-1-61254-290-4 | $15.95 SOCIAL SCIENCE /Sexual Abuse & Harassment www.TheSandboxSeries.com