From October 2024, employers in the UK have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers. It is likely the Labour Govt Employment Rights Bill will revise this to the stronger wording of ALL reasonable steps and that sexual harassment will be added to the list of matters an employee can make a protected disclosure (blow the whistle) about.
The Equality Act 2020 has always made harassment unlawful but The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 which came into effect on 26 October 2024, introduces a specific requirement for employers to proactively take action to prevent sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment remains defined as “unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.”
The change means that it’s no longer enough to simply respond to harassment claims after they occur – organisations must now actively take steps to stop harassment from happening in the first place.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued guidance outlining eight key steps that all employers should take to meet this new duty. This is called the preventative duty – it should be noted of course that how these are implemented will depend on the circumstances of the company:
The 8 steps to fulfilling your preventative duty:
- Have an effective anti-harassment policy – Make sure your policy is clear, accessible, and understood by everyone. It should define unacceptable behaviours and explain how issues will be handled.
- Engage your staff – Build a culture where respect and inclusion are part of everyday working life. Encourage open conversations and reinforce your organisation’s values.
- Assess and take steps to reduce risk in your workplace – Identify where and how harassment could occur – whether in person, online, or through third parties – and put practical measures in place to reduce those risks.
- Have effective reporting mechanisms and procedures – Employees must know how to report concerns confidentially and feel confident they will be listened to and supported.
- Provide training – Make sure everyone, especially managers, understands what harassment looks like, how to prevent it, and what their responsibilities are under the law.
- Know what to do when a harassment complaint is made -Respond quickly, fairly, and consistently. Ensure investigations are handled sensitively and that appropriate support is provided.
- Have a plan for preventing and dealing with harassment by third parties – Consider customers, clients, contractors, or suppliers who interact with your staff – and how you’ll protect your team from inappropriate behaviour.
- Monitor and evaluate your actions – Review your policies, training, and reporting mechanisms regularly to make sure they’re working and remain effective.
How vivoHR can help you meet these requirements
We’ve designed our Anti-Harassment Document Pack and Workshops to help employers and managers understand their responsibilities, prevent harassment, and align their approach with wider DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) goals.
Our workshops cover practical steps to create safer, more respectful workplaces – helping you fulfil your preventative duty in line with EHRC guidance.
Upcoming workshop dates
- 17th November – 2:00 PM
- 21st November – 11:00 AM
- 26th November – 2:00 PM
- 9th December – 10:00 AM
Delivered online via Zoom | £50 + VAT per delegate
Register here – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/anti-harassment-in-the-workplace-tickets-1960004940539
If these dates don’t work for you, or if they’ve already passed, please get in touch to register your interest. We’ll be happy to arrange future sessions or discuss in-house options for your team.
Document Pack
We supply you with a bundle of documents that you can edit to make bespoke to your business (or ask us for a quote to help with that) which will support you in meeting the 8 step requirements set out by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
- Equal Opportunities Policy
- Bullying & Harassment Policy
- Harassment Risk Assessment Form
- Defining Harassment Flow Chart
- Guide for Managers on handling harassment complaints
The full price for this bundle is £600 plus VAT but you can purchase at the discounted price of £350 plus VAT if you book at least one place on the training workshops in 2025 and pay for the document pack by the end of November.
Take action today
Meeting your preventative duty isn’t just about compliance, it’s about creating a workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and respected.
We can help you fulfil all eight steps and build a stronger, more inclusive culture. What happens in practice across your business is of course the most important thing. Don’t hesitate to call if you have any queries about how best to manage all of this.
Call us today to discuss, mail us to purchase the Document Pack or click the link to book your place on an upcoming Anti-Harassment Workshop.
01252 757359 hello@vivohr.co.uk
