Sexual Harassment: Awareness and Prevention

Workplace Safety, Compliance & HR Essentials  

Sexual Harassment: Awareness and Prevention

Identify subtle and overt harassment, handle complaints fairly and confidentially, and foster dignity, respect, and psychological safety. Hospitality scenarios apply best practice for compliance and safer, more inclusive workplaces.

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Course Details

This comprehensive course equips employers, managers, and team leaders in the food and hospitality industry with the legal knowledge and practical tools to recognise, prevent, and respond to sexual harassment at work. Grounded in the Equality Act 2010 and the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, it translates complex legal duties into everyday actions across cafés, bars, restaurants, and food production settings.

Course Aims

To equip employers and managers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to understand their legal duties, recognise and prevent workplace sexual harassment, respond fairly and transparently to complaints, foster psychological safety and a speak-up culture, and align policies, training, and risk assessments to demonstrate full compliance with UK law.

Course Objectives

By the end, participants will be able to:

  1. Define sexual harassment under the Equality Act 2010 (s26) and explain the principle that **impact—not intent—** determines unlawfulness.
  2. Distinguish between overt misconduct and subtle/danger-zone behaviours, including online and off-site contexts “in the course of employment.”
  3. Identify organisational risk factors (e.g., lone working, alcohol-fuelled events, third-party contact) and conduct a proportionate harassment risk assessment.
  4. Explain the proactive duty introduced by the Worker Protection Act (2023) and evidence compliance through policies, training, and leadership practice.
  5. Apply the ACAS Code to receive complaints, protect confidentiality, and run fair, timely investigations (including when to use external investigators).
  6. Implement safe reporting routes (including anonymous options) and demonstrate zero tolerance for retaliation and victimisation.
  7. Assess when conduct may amount to a criminal offence and coordinate with police without compromising internal or external investigations.
  8. Develop or update an anti-harassment policy, code of conduct, and procedure suite that is clear, accessible, and enforceable.
  9. Design continuous, inclusive training (including bystander intervention) and schedule refreshers every 12–18 months, avoiding “tick-box” pitfalls (per Allay v Gehlen).
  10. Evaluate cultural indicators (survey data, complaints trends, exit interviews) and action improvements that enhance psychological safety and trust.

Course Curriculum

  • Introduction
  • Legal definition and examples
  • The impact of sexual harassment
  • Key UK legislation timeline
  • The Equality Act 2010
  • Short Summary

  • Why sexual harassment happens
  • Cultural tolerance and the normalisation of “banter”
  • Power and control
  • What is #MeToo?
  • Societal influences and gender stereotypes
  • Fear of retaliation, disbelief, or career damage
  • Poor organisational response and policy gaps
  • Lack of leadership accountability and awareness
  • Myths and misconceptions about sexual harassment
  • Short summary

  • Harassment has no boundaries
  • Work-related social events and “In the Course of Employment”
  • Application to modern workplaces

  • Anyone can be a perpetrator or victim!
  • Characteristics and motivations of perpetrators
  • Who can be a victim?
  • Who is vulnerable to sexual harassment?
  • Age and inexperience
  • Job insecurity and precarious employment
  • Marginalised or underrepresented groups
  • Short Summary

  • Identifying sexual harassment in the workplace
  • Spotting the early warning signs
  • Responding to sexual harassment
  • Supporting those affected
  • Short Summary

  • Responding after a complaint is made
  • Protecting against victimisation
  • Scenario: “After the complaint”
  • After the investigation
  • Short Summary

  • Raising a grievance
  • Employment tribunal claims
  • The employer’s role in criminal cases

  • Why a risk assessment should come first
  • Assessing the risk of harassment
  • The role of policy and procedures
  • Embedding expectations through induction
  • Continuous and inclusive training
  • Listening skills and early intervention
  • Open-door and speak-up culture
  • Protecting people who raise concerns
  • Employer’s compliance checklist
  • End of course summary

  • Achieving safety and compliance 12 Assessments

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Related Organisations

ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service)
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
me too. Movement
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