TUC launches sexual harassment toolkit

A new TUC toolkit aims to help workplace reps prevent sexual harassment before it happens. It sets out five equally important and interlinked steps to build preventative cultures in workplaces.

Step one is understanding what is happening in terms of sexual harassment in the workplace by establishing a baseline for the organisation, using an anonymous climate survey. While as many as one in two women are sexually harassed at work, the vast majority do not come forward and report it.

Step two is assessing and taking steps to reduce the specific risks in the workplace, with the help of a workplace risk assessment checklist to identify the factors that increase the risks. Step three is developing an effective anti-sexual harassment policy. The toolkit includes a model policy that can be adapted for different workplaces.

Step four is implementing a training and communication programme. It is vital for all workers, in particular managers, to receive regular and repeated training on the policy. There should be regular communication of the zero-tolerance approach and what constitutes sexual harassment, including at induction. All workers, however long they’ve been working in an organisation, should have a shared understanding of what is expected.

Accountability and transparency are key to step five, which is monitoring and evaluating progress. The climate survey should be carried out regularly, while information from exit interviews, where workers often feel more comfortable speaking openly, can inform progress.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/resource/preventing-sexual-harassment