Sexual Harassment in the Workplace for Employees

We all have a responsibility to prevent workplace sexual harassment from occurring.

Under the Equality Act 2010, sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that violates a person's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. Since October 2024, employers have had a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent it, and the Employment Rights Act 2025 raises this to "all reasonable steps" from 30th October 2026. Meeting that duty depends on every member of staff knowing where the line is and how to speak up.

The course explains the difference between sexual harassment and sex-based harassment, what "unwanted" means in law, and how victimisation law protects people who complain or support someone else's complaint. It looks at how harassment shows up at work and online, including cyberflashing and online stalking, and at the point where workplace "banter" becomes harassment or discrimination.

Learners work through the practical steps for raising a complaint, from keeping records and getting advice to formal grievances, and why people react to harassment in very different ways. For those who witness harassment, it covers safe intervention using the 4 Ds, how to listen to and support a colleague who discloses, and how to report it, including the whistleblowing protections that apply to disclosures about sexual harassment.

The course also sets out what employees can expect from their employer when a complaint is made, when a matter might need to be reported to the police, and the prevention measures a responsible organisation should have in place. Scenario-based activities let learners apply what they've learned. The course contains descriptions of inappropriate behaviour, and learners are encouraged to take breaks or skip sections if they need to.

No prior knowledge is needed. To complete the course, learners need to pass a final assessment with a score of at least 80%, and can retake it as needed.

Who should take this course?

This course is for all employees and workers in UK organisations, whatever their role or level. It's suitable as induction training for new starters and as refresher training for existing staff. It's particularly relevant for:

• Staff in customer-facing, client-facing or patient-facing roles
• People working late shifts, alone, or away from their usual workplace
• Staff who attend work social events, conferences or overnight travel
• Anyone who uses work messaging, email or social media to communicate with colleagues
• Employees who want to support colleagues and challenge inappropriate behaviour

Line managers, supervisors and anyone responsible for handling complaints should take Sexual Harassment in the Workplace for Managers, which covers the employer's legal duties and how to respond to a report.

What does this training cover?

• What sexual harassment is, and how it differs from sex-based harassment
• The meaning of "unwanted" conduct and of victimisation
• The Equality Act 2010, the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 and the Employment Rights Act 2025
• The impact of sexual harassment on individuals and organisations
• Sexual harassment online, including cyberflashing and online stalking
• When "banter" becomes harassment or discrimination
• How to raise a complaint, and common responses to harassment
• Bystander intervention using the 4 Ds
• Listening to and supporting a colleague who discloses harassment
• Whistleblowing protections for reporting sexual harassment
• What to expect from your employer, and reporting suspected crimes
• Organisational prevention and a zero-tolerance culture

Sexual Harassment at Work for Employees Course Certificate

After completing this course, learners will be able to download and print a Virtual College certificate, which they can keep for their records.

At the end of this sexual harassment training course, you will need to complete a test that consists of 15 multiple choice questions. Learners are required to achieve a 80% pass mark, and - if necessary - may attempt the test six times at no extra cost. If learners do not achieve the pass mark, further attempts may be given by contacting our support team.

Accreditation

The content of this course has been independently certified as conforming to universally accepted Continuous Professional Development (CPD) guidelines.

Duration

This course takes around 30 minutes to complete. As it's all online, you can complete it at your own pace, in stages, with your progress recorded throughout.

Entry requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for this Sexual Harassment for Employees training course.