Raising The Bar: Are You Ready for the Changes to Workplace Harassment Law?

Since October 2024, employers have had a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at work.

But what does this mean in practice?

From reasonable to “all reasonable” steps.

There is no one-size-fits-all checklist. What is reasonable will depend on an organisation’s size, sector, resources, working environment and the risks faced by its workers.

Employers should be able to demonstrate that they have proactively identified risks and taken appropriate action. This could include:

· Risk assessments: Identifying potential hotspots, including lone working, power imbalances, alcohol at work events, customer-facing roles, travel, remote working and social media

· Policies and procedures: Ensuring anti-harassment, bullying, grievance and disciplinary policies are effective, current and communicated to all workers

· Training: Making sure staff and managers understand what harassment looks like, how to raise concerns and how to respond appropriately to disclosures

· Listening to workers: Using one-to-ones, staff surveys, exit interviews and other feedback to identify concerns and monitor workplace culture

· Clear reporting: Providing accessible reporting routes and responding to concerns promptly, fairly and sensitively, with appropriate safeguards against further harassment or victimisation

· Third-party risks: Considering how workers may be exposed to harassment from customers, clients, suppliers, contractors or members of the public.

The message is clear: prevention needs to be active, ongoing and evidenced — not simply a policy sitting in a handbook.

What changes in October 2026?

The Employment Rights Act 2025 will:

☑️Strengthen the preventative duty.

☑️Employers will need to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers.

☑️Introduce third-party harassment protections.

☑️Employers will have an obligation not to permit harassment of their workers by third parties.

☑️Increase the potential consequences.

Where a tribunal finds that an employer has breached the preventative duty following a successful sexual harassment claim, compensation can be increased by up to 25%.

These changes build on wider reforms, including stronger whistleblowing protection for workers who report sexual harassment, introduced in April 2026.

How can RSVP help?

The Rape and Sexual Violence Project (RSVP) provides free counselling and advocacy for survivors of sexual violence and abuse across Birmingham and Solihull. Our specialist training team also works with organisations to help prevent sexual harassment and create safer, more inclusive workplaces.

Support can include:

Policy review and gap analysis – reviewing existing policies and procedures and identifying areas for improvement.

Workplace risk assessments – helping organisations identify higher-risk roles, environments and situations and develop practical action plans.

Tailored training – providing staff, manager and leadership training on harassment, bystander intervention, responding to disclosures and creating positive workplace cultures.

Reporting and cultural audits – reviewing reporting systems, consulting with staff and helping organisations identify and address cultural or systemic concerns.

Counselling support – through RSVP’s sister organisation, GINA, counselling packages can also be arranged for employees affected by sexual violence and harassment.

The RSVP team has supported organisations including Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Aston University, West Midlands Business Festival, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, BHSF, Colmore BID and Safer Dance – Night Time Economies Project.

Income from RSVP’s consultancy and training services helps fund its vital counselling and advocacy services.

Scan the QR code or click here to see all our upcoming training sessions.

Is your organisation ready?

The move from “reasonable steps” to “all reasonable steps” is more than a change in wording. It is a prompt for employers to look closely at their workplace culture, understand where risks exist and make sure prevention is embedded in everyday practice.

RSVP can help you understand the risks, strengthen your approach and build safer workplaces.

For more information, contact trainer@rsvporg.co.uk