Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace is now a Legal Requirement
As of October 2024, the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace is no longer just best practice, it is a legal requirement.
The updated Equality Act mandates that employers take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment and ensure a safe working environment for all employees and workers.
Failing to do so can result in costly tribunal claims, reputational damage, and legal penalties
Now is the time for businesses to act.
The Cost of Failing to Act
Employers who do not take appropriate measures to prevent sexual harassment leave themselves open to serious financial and legal consequences.
Tribunal awards for sexual harassment are uncapped often reaching tens of thousands of pounds. Now, with the introduction of a compensation uplift of up to 25% for successful claims, the financial impact can be even greater if employers have not taken preventative steps.
A real case illustrates this risk:
A worker who endured repeated harassment and had her complaints ignored was awarded £50,000 in compensation.
With the 25% uplift, the employer would have had to pay significantly more.
Beyond financial penalties, the reputational damage of being known as a company that fails to protect its employees can be devastating.
Why the Law Changed
Sexual harassment in the workplace is widespread and often underreported. High-profile cases, such as those involving Harrods and Abercrombie & Fitch, have demonstrated the need for stronger legal protections.
In response, the government updated the Equality Act to place greater responsibility on employers to prevent harassment before it happens.
A Zero-Tolerance Approach
Creating a culture of zero tolerance towards harassment is essential.
This means actively promoting awareness, setting clear policies, and responding quickly and effectively to any reports.
Harassment can occur both inside and outside the workplace, including at staff events, training sessions, and social gatherings.
Employers must ensure that all employees and workers, including managers are trained and understand their role in maintaining a safe and harassment-free environment.
The Challenge of Customer-Facing Roles
For businesses in hospitality, retail, and other customer-facing industries, preventing harassment from customers presents an additional challenge.
While you cannot control customer behaviour, you can implement policies that protect your staff, such as:
- Training employees on how to handle inappropriate behaviour
- Clearly displaying a zero-tolerance policy in public areas
- Supporting staff in reporting incidents
- Taking decisive action against customers who harass employees
Take Action Today
Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Training
Proactively protecting your team and your business has never been more important.
Our Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Training is designed to help you meet your legal obligations and foster a respectful, safe workplace culture.
The training includes:
- Updated Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Policy
- Prevention of Sexual Harassment Risk Assessment Template
- Training for Managers and Leaders (Face to face or online)
- Training Video for Teams and Employees (Face to face or online)
The Managers’ training includes guidance on the steps for handling complaints.
Let us know if you’d like an Employee training video to add to your onboarding workflow.
Don’t wait for a problem to arise, take proactive steps now by giving us a call on 020 4534 3456 or sending us a message.
Investing in training today will protect your employees, your business and your reputation for years to come.