Assessment to Solutions

Risk Factors

Risk factors are attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors associated with negative outcomes for organizations or units.  Higher unfavorable scores on risk factors are linked to a higher likelihood of negative outcomes, such as suicide, sexual harassment, and sexual assault and are also linked to a lower likelihood of positive outcomes,  such as higher performance, readiness, and retention.

Select each factor for a detailed definition and additional information.

ALCOHOL IMPAIRING MEMORY

Alcohol Impairing Memory measures how often, during the last 12 months, one was unable to remember what happened the night before due to drinking alcohol.  Frequent memory loss due to alcohol is linked to a higher likelihood of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and suicide.

►  Factor Rating Interpretation Guide for Alcohol Impairing Memory

 

 

 

BINGE DRINKING

Binge Drinking measures how often one consumes four or more drinks (for females) and five or more drinks (for males) on one occasion.  This pattern of drinking alcohol within two hours brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 percent or higher for typical adults.  Frequent binge drinking is linked to a higher likelihood of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and suicide.

►  Factor Rating Interpretation Guide for Binge Drinking

PASSIVE LEADERSHIP

This factor measures the perception over the past three months that leaders avoid decisions, do not respond to problems, fail to follow up, hesitate to act, and are absent when needed.  Organizations with passive leaders are linked to lower levels of readiness and retention, as well as a higher likelihood of sexual harassment.

►  Factor Rating Interpretation Guide for Passive Leadership

 

RACIALLY HARASSING BEHAVIORS

This factor measures unwelcome or offensive experiences of individuals based on their race, color, religion, and/or national origin that occurred over the past three months.  These behaviors create a workplace that is intimidating, hostile, offensive, or unreasonably intrusive for individuals in protected race and ethnic categories.  These behaviors are a subset of the 24 behaviors used to create DoD’s official past-year prevalence estimates of racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination as measured by the Workplace Equal Opportunity Surveys.  The presence of racially harassing behaviors in organizations is linked to a higher likelihood of racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination, sexual harassment, and suicide, as well as lower levels of readiness and retention.

►  Factor Rating Interpretation Guide for Racially Harassing Behaviors

SEXIST BEHAVIORS

This factor measures prejudicial, stereotypical, or negative attitudes and opinions based on perceived sex or gender that occurred over the past three months.  Sexist Behaviors also include verbal and/or nonverbal behaviors that convey insulting, offensive, or condescending attitudes based on the perceived gender of the individual.  These behaviors are similar to DoD’s policy definition of gender discrimination, but it is important to note the policy definition requires the behaviors to limit or harm the victim’s career and this is not measured on the DEOCS.  The presence of sexist behaviors in organizations is linked to a higher likelihood of sexual harassment and sexual assault, as well as lower levels of readiness and retention.

►  Factor Rating Interpretation Guide for Sexist Behaviors

 

 

SEXUALLY HARASSING BEHAVIORS

This factor measures unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature that occurred over the past three months.  These behaviors are similar to DoD’s policy definition of sexual harassment, but it is important to note the policy definition requires the behaviors to be sufficiently persistent and severe and this is not measured on the DEOCS.  The presence of sexually harassing behaviors in organizations is linked to a higher likelihood of sexual harassment, racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination, sexual assault, suicide, as well as lower levels of readiness and retention.

►  Factor Rating Interpretation Guide for Sexually Harassing Behaviors

STRESS

Stress measures the feeling of emotional strain or pressure over the past month.  Stressed individuals may feel unable to predict or influence valued and prominent aspects of their lives.  Higher levels of stress are linked to a higher likelihood of suicide, as well as lower levels of readiness and retention.

►  Factor Rating Interpretation Guide for Stress

TOXIC LEADERSHIP

This factor measures the perception over the past three months that leaders disregard subordinate input, defy logic or predictability, and have self-promoting tendencies.  Toxic leadership also includes behaviors that are demeaning, marginalizing, degrading, coercive and/or deceptive.  Organizations with toxic leaders are linked to a higher likelihood of sexual assault and suicide, as well as lower levels of retention and readiness.

►  Factor Rating Interpretation Guide for Toxic Leadership

WORKPLACE HOSTILITY

Workplace Hostility measures the degree to which individuals in the workplace act in an angry or hostile manner towards others and focuses on the past three months.  It includes behaviors such insults, sarcasm, or gestures to humiliate a member as well as perception of others interfering with one's work performance or not providing assistance when needed.  Organizations with workplace hostility are linked to lower levels of readiness and retention, as well as a higher likelihood of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination.

►  Factor Rating Interpretation Guide for Workplace Hostility

►   New Workplace Hostility Ratings 

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