Preventing and Managing Sexual Harassment at Work
The Worker Protection Act October 2024 is clear; all employers have a legal responsibility to protect their workers and will be legally liable for sexual harassment in the workplace if they have not taken reasonable steps to prevent it. Talk to us to ensure you are taking the reasonable steps the legislation demands.
Our range of support to help you prevent and address sexual harassment at work includes:
Workshops for Board/SLT
Our expert-led workshops are tailored to suit the needs of your organisation and are designed to empower senior leaders to champion a zero-tolerance culture for sexual harassment, driving the ripple effect from the top down.
Facilitated Training and Video Package
An innovative and cost-effective solution, perfect for scaling support across your organisation. This 45-minute video features facilitator-led real-world scenarios designed to encourage interactive and meaningful team discussions on preventing sexual harassment.
Workshops for Managers
Our workshops empower managers to foster inclusive teams where respect guides every interaction, nipping any inappropriate behaviour in the bud before it escalates.
Risk to Reward Coaching
Our specialist coaching support is specifically for individuals who have displayed inappropriate behaviour, guiding them towards respectful communication and interaction, helping them rebuild trust and ensuring lines are never crossed again.
Workshops for Team Members
Empower your people through open discussions, clear boundaries and the confidence to act whenever there is behaviour that crosses a line, creating a safe and respectful workplace for all.
Repairing Working Relationships
Our expert-led sessions bridge the divide between complainant and respondent, paving the way for respectful, professional co-existence.
Playbook
Our practical playbook guides managers through handling complaints about sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour to ensure they hold crucial conversations in a fair and balanced way
Complying with the Worker Protection Act
Learn more about our support solutions and discover how to prevent and manage sexual harassment in the workplace.
What is your best way forward?
When helping you to manage inappropriate behaviour and create a truly inclusive workplace, there is nothing we haven’t seen. We approach each project with the utmost discretion. Contact us today to discuss the best way forward for your situation.
Case Studies for Sexual Harassment
Coaching a manager where claim of harassment had been brought
Preventing sexual harassment – Carter Backer Winter LLP
You may also be interested in BBC Radio 4’s Womans Hour, you can listen to Stella being interviewed here (at 25mins) and In Business; Confronting sexual harassment which Focal Point contributed to. Listen here
What our clients say
“We knew that there was a problem to be solved and it really helped to have an objective, outside team to work with us to find a solution. Changing an old-fashioned culture is never easy but is greatly helped by working with a good professional team.”
“This can be a very grey area for managers and can often put them off dealing with situations. Focal Point’s approach helped the managers gain clarity around where the lines and boundaries should be and understand just how vital it is for them to be role models in this area.”
“Having managed teams of staff for 15yrs, I must say that Focal Point are simply the best training resource that I have ever accessed for team building.”
“When we embarked on this project, I was concerned to make it a really positive experience for everyone – Focal Point really understood this… they have taken time to get to know us and helped us address areas which are often not talked about in organisations and that have made a big impact on everyone.”
“This was a really good example of how we can help clients take a preventative approach to issues, rather than reacting when they find themselves with a tricky situation on their hands. We believe it will make a real difference to reducing the number of incidents they have had to deal with.”
Sexual Harassment FAQs
The definition of sexual harassment under the Equality Act and Worker Protection Act is wide and encompasses much more than physical contact. For example, pornographic images on devices, making derogatory sexist comments, continuing with sexual advances after it has been made clear they are unwanted, sexualised “banter.” Many people do not realise that the “grey” areas of behaviour such as banter can cause real harm and would fall under the definition of sexual harassment
The first step to preventing sexual harassment is understanding what it is, so raising awareness through training is vital
Any “banter” that is of a sexual nature, is unwelcome and has the effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, or offensive environment is likely to be crossing a line into sexual harassment. So sexual jokes whether directed at someone or generally creating an uncomfortable environment and comments about someone’s body, appearance, or sex life are all likely to constitute sexual harassment. Using the defence “it was just a joke” or “we were just having a laugh” is no defence.
People can find it hard to know where the tipping points are and we can help bring clarity to where the lines are with your teams
Managing banter is not about stopping the fun. Humour can be a vital part of bringing teams together. However, it is important for all to be aware of the impact sexualised jokes and humour can have on others. The best way to help people understand where the lines are is through discussion and coming to a consensus about what is Ok and isn’t ok in a team.
All our workshops are interactive and help bring clarity to the “grey” areas of behaviour in particular. We answer questions such as “are compliments harassment?” “is flirting allowed at work?” “can I give someone a hug?”
Any jokes or banter but particularly those that fall under the definition of sexual harassment can be much more difficult to address when there is a power dynamic at play. So if the joke or comment is made by a manager, the team member may find it much harder to ask them to stop or to report the behaviour, as they will worry about negative career consequences – and how seriously they will be taken
It is important to remember this is a nuanced and highly sensitive subject. Training needs to be handled with care and in a supportive way. To that end eLearning is unlikely to be effective as there is no opportunity to ask questions or interact.
A better approach is a facilitated workshop where people discuss a variety of situations , exchange experiences and points of view and look at real world scenarios and how to handle them. Training in this area should do 2 things
- raise awareness around what sexual harassment actually is and where the tipping points in behaviour are
- equip people with the skills and confidence to handle a range of situations where they or someone else may feel uncomfortable
The EHRC suggest training should be regular. So scheduling training at least annually is vital. Legislation will change, outcomes of tribunal cases will update the guidance on offer and workplaces will continue to evolve, so offering one-off training will simply not be enough.
If you need practical guidance on responding to workplace concerns, you can also read our page on managing inappropriate behaviour, which outlines clear steps and supportive approaches for managers and leaders.