Sexual harassment at work can happen at any time. Risk can be heightened during the festive season, with workplace Christmas parties meaning staff socialising outside of work at night, often while drinking alcohol.
The Worker Protection Act 2023 preventative duty means employers must take reasonable steps to protect their staff from being sexually harassed at work – whether they are attending a work Christmas party or working at one.
Workplace parties are opportunities for colleagues to come together to celebrate the festivities and their hard work over the year. If you’re an employer, you don’t need to cancel your Christmas activities to comply with the law, but you do need to take steps to address the possibility of sexual harassment occurring.
All employers have a duty of care to protect their workers. Policies and procedures alone are not enough to stop sexual harassment from happening in your workplace. Not taking reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment can have a significant effect on the reputation of your business and the wellbeing and safety of your employees.
Your organisation can be held legally responsible for sexual harassment if you do not take preventative steps.
Read the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s sexual harassment guidance for workplace Christmas parties and sexual harassment and harassment technical guidancefor further information on the practical steps your organisation can take to protect staff.