New sexual harassment legislation
The new sexual harassment legislation in the UK is as much about nuance as it is about new reforms and protections. Are you worried about what it will mean for you? Do you feel ready? Unlike other aspects of the recently announced Employment Rights Bill, this comes into effect immediately (on 26 October 2024) so it needs your urgent attention. There is no time to lose. We’ve produced this quick-fire guide to help you. Of course, many organisations are already ahead of the curve: they’ve embedded respect and inclusion into their talent strategies because they know it’s important to their people and to achieve their business goals. There’s always room for improvement and when it comes to meeting the requirements of the new law and taking care of the people who will put you ahead of the competition, it’s not worth taking any chances. When things go wrong First let’s look at some of the issues that cost British businesses time, money and reputation:- Lip service or lack of leadership modelling which confuses employees and leaves space for unhelpful behaviours to flourish.
- Sexual harassment investigations that bring up distressing events cause bad feelings and can create skill gaps. The impact on individuals can be devastating.
- Banter – the ‘it’s only a joke’ mentality that leaves talent wondering what’s just happened and why everyone seems to be OK with it.
How to make it a place people want to be
So what does it look like when things go right?- The organisation is doing everything possible to embed a culture of respect and inclusion at every level.
- Through clear policy, reinforcement, and training, individuals are left in no doubt about the behaviour standards they need to meet.
- Everyone has the space to thrive without the threat of sexual harassment – even at a passive level.
- There’s a dual responsibility – on both employers and employees.
The nuances you need to be aware of
Companies have up until now been expected to have taken reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace – now it’s all reasonable steps. This places greater responsibility on the organisation as they’re expected to take a proactive and preventative approach to ensure sexual harassment doesn’t arise in the first place. It requires questioning and examining existing approaches for all procedures, practices and behavioural expectations.Your risk assessment checklist
Don’t wait for an incident to happen, be on the front foot. Build a culture where there is no room for sexual harassment by undertaking a risk assessment relevant to your organisation. We’ve put together a few areas you need to consider:- What does your formal sexual harassment policy look like? Does it contain clear statements? Does it include details on the reporting route?
- When was the last time you checked in with your employees to ask them about sexual harassment and how to prevent it? Think surveys, conversations and even exit interview questions.
- How clear are your reporting procedures? What if someone wants to report an incident? Is there more than one reporting channel?
- Is training relevant and up to date? Do managers understand what their new duties and responsibilities are? Is training tailored for higher-risk groups such as those working at night?
- How do you communicate your sexual harassment policies and procedures with stakeholders? Should you have visual reminders in the workplace?
- Do you have a higher-level view? Can you spot trends or patterns – for example, are there places where banter is more prevalent? Is anyone in charge of monitoring?