Sexual harassment at work: would your employees feel safe speaking up?

Karen Lewis Chartered FCIPD

1 day ago

2 min read

A quiet workplace is not necessarily a safe workplace. Before relying on the absence of complaints, ask how easy it would be for someone to raise a concern, particularly about a senior colleague.

What counts as sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment involves unwanted sexual conduct that undermines dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. It can be a single incident and can happen through digital communication as well as in person. Intent is not the only consideration.

The prevention duty is changing

Employers in Great Britain already have a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. Acas confirms that from 30 October 2026 this strengthens to all reasonable steps. The steps appropriate to an organisation depend on its circumstances; copying another employer’s approach is not a substitute for examining your own working environment.

Ask questions that reveal practical gaps

Who receives a concern about the person who normally handles complaints? Who can authorise protective measures? Where would a manager find the procedure during an evening shift? These questions help turn a statement of commitment into arrangements people can actually use.

Choose a routine activity in your business and walk through it with the people doing the work. Ask where they might need support, who could provide it and what would happen if that person were unavailable. Record the gaps and assign someone to resolve them.

Respond with care and fairness

Take concerns seriously and investigate promptly and impartially. Offer appropriate support, preserve evidence and explain the process without promising a particular outcome. Consider immediate safety and guard against retaliation. Fairness also means hearing the person accused and avoiding assumptions before the evidence has been assessed.

Free download: Sexual Harassment Prevention Checklist

The HFactor has created a practical checklist to help you review prevention arrangements and record the actions you need to take. It includes an action table for owners and deadlines. The checklist is a starting point for a workplace review, not a certificate of compliance.

Download the free Sexual Harassment Prevention Checklist (PDF) — no email sign-up required.

Practical support from The HFactor

If your review identifies gaps, we can help with policy reviews, workplace risk assessments, manager training and sensitive employee relations matters. You do not need to wait for a complaint to ask for support.

For a free initial consultation, email info@the-hfactor.com or use the enquiry form at the-hfactor.com.

Karen Lewis, Chartered FCIPD | The HFactor HR Consultancy