Page published on 19th November 2024
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Our 2023-25 business plan at IP Inclusive includes a focus on allyship. With the Worker Protection Act 2023 coming into effect in October 2024, we wanted to look at how allyship can help prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. With this in mind, we teamed up with Focal Point Training and our IP Inclusive communities to present first a webinar in June, and then a workshop in September on Allyship and Preventing Sexual Harassment. The following ideas and guidelines come both from Stella Chandler (Focal Point) and Laura Cassels’s (Women in IP) excellent presentation and from the discussions during the workshop which involved HR and other professionals from IP sector organisations.
Sexual harassment is defined by the Equality Act 2010 as: “Unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, which has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.” This can include sexual comments or jokes, displaying or sharing sexually graphic pictures/posters, suggestive looks/staring, propositions and sexual advances, sexual gestures, intrusive questions about a person’s private/sex life, and unwelcome touching, hugging, or massaging. The Worker Protection Act 2023 places a new duty on employers to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment at work. Focal Point anticipates that these reasonable steps will include: –
- have clear and accessible policies that are reviewed regularly
- provide regular training
- have effective mechanisms for addressing concerns
- ensure people feel able to speak up on inappropriate behaviour
- ensure people believe concerns will be taken seriously and acted upon
- proactively foster a culture of respect and inclusion
- create a clear message from the top that sexual harassment will not be tolerated
Allies are important in preventing sexual harassment because challenges from people who aren’t the target are often more persuasive. Sadly, a woman challenging a man on sexism is far more likely to be dismissed, met with annoyance or accused of overreacting. However, there are many barriers that prevent allies stepping in. People don’t want to be seen as a killjoy, or to upset people, they fear making the situation worse or feel that as everyone else appears OK with it then maybe they should be. They may lack the skills, confidence or knowledge to tackle the situation, fear the repercussions or the power dynamic. That power comes not only from seniority, but also from longevity in the organisation and even value to the organisation and/or clients.
However, many of the skills already useful in the workplace can be applied to empower allies to support victims of sexual harassment. Someone who is experiencing harassment may simply need a safe space to talk, someone to listen and make them feel heard, someone without judgement and with the patience to let them unburden. Further, what a victim of harassment really needs is a workplace culture that makes it clear harassment will not be tolerated. This could be achieved by clear and transparent processes for reporting and addressing harassment claims, and those policies should be made available to all employees from their first day. Once everyone in the company knows what is acceptable and what is not, appropriate behaviours should be modelled from the top of the company down, and when there is a clear procedure that will be followed, it makes it easier to challenge inappropriate behaviour both as a victim and as an ally.
As an ally one may need to speak up on someone else’s behalf, to challenge inappropriate behaviour, or to support a victim and create the opportunity for them to speak for themselves. Some phrases that may be useful include: –
- “Can you repeat that?”
- “What do you mean by that?”
- “Why do you think that?”
- “Can you explain why that is funny?”
Such phrases encourage the speaker to reflect on what they are saying, and this may be enough to help them realise that they are being inappropriate. If you are stepping in as an ally, it may help to write down in advance what you want to say, or to talk it through with someone else. It is important to use clear and specific examples and to use “I” to own the feedback. To move forwards, it is ideal if the person you are speaking to offers some next steps, but you may have to make suggestions. Be sure to accept an apology if it is offered and continue to keep an eye on the situation.
Further information about the training Focal Point can offer to help your organisation can be found here. They have also provided this quick 2 minute self-assessment checklist you can use to see if your organisation is ready for the Worker Protection Act.
If you would like more practical tips on preventing sexual harassment in the workplace, you might be interested in the recording of our webinar on the topic.