As we head into the festive period, employers need to comply with the new duty to take preventative steps to ensure workers are protected against sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature, which must have either violated someone’s dignity or created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for someone. This could be anything from innuendo or jokes to more extreme acts of a sexual nature, such as touching someone against their will, or making sexual advances.
So what can employers practically do to ensure the festive merriment does not cross the line into misconduct? Here are three top tips:
- Identify risks and hazards
Identify the activities and circumstances which pose a risk to staff of sexual harassment occurring (such as unlimited alcohol at informal/social events, late-night gatherings, or events held at hard-to-get-to locations), and what can be done to minimise them. Carry out a risk assessment including referring to any previous complaints of sexual harassment.
- Reporting sexual harassment
Assess whether current reporting channels are accessible, confidential and trusted by employees. Ensure all policies and procedures are up to date and explain to staff what the preventative duty is and what is expected of staff in terms of compliance with it, as well as reporting any wrongdoing.
- Conduct refresher training
Conduct a training session for all workers at all seniority levels to ensure they are aware of what sexual harassment in the workplace means, what to do if they experience it or witness it, and how to handle any complaints of harassment, as well as addressing third-party harassment.
Make clear that standards of conduct and behaviour extend to informal/social gatherings and provide different scenarios which may be considered sexual harassment.
Get in contact with an employment lawyer at Rowberry Morris.
If you would like advice or need further guidance on this or any employment issue, please contact the Employment Team at Rowberry Morris by phone on 0118 981 2992 or email at employment@rowberrymorris.co.uk, or at rowberrymorris.co.uk/services/employment-law
