How to report sexual harassment at work – and what your employer should do

More than 100 UK workers at McDonalds have reported being harassed, assaulted and abused, including those as young as 17. The BBC investigation unearthed incidents of racial abuse and sexual assault, including women being groped and touched.

Workplace harassment is extremely common – and it predominantly affects women and minorities. Deloitte’s 2023 Women at Work report revealed that some 44% of 5,000 women across 10 countries said that they had experienced harassment, micro-aggressions or both in the workplace during the year prior.

According to a 2020 survey of sexual harassment by the UK government, 29% said they had experienced some form of sexual harassment in their workplace during the previous 12 months. Unwelcome sexual jokes, sexual comments and staring were the most common behaviours – and women, ethnic minorities, LGBT+ individuals and those with disabilities were more likely to experience harassment.

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Despite its prevalence, few people report incidents of harassment. The Deloitte research found that only 59% of women who said they were harassed told their employers

Often, victims feel anxious about potential repercussions from colleagues or bosses, or the perpetrator themselves. They may worry about not being taken seriously. And because harassment can take many forms – like a ‘joke’ – it’s not always easy to pinpoint. Nonetheless, all harassing behaviours can be equally damaging, affecting people’s confidence, careers and mental health.

The current economic climate is also making it harder for women to report harassment, research shows. With all the uncertainty in the labour market – and the rising cost of living – women are less likely to report harassment over fears it will derail their careers.

However, the problem will only worsen if incidents aren’t reported and perpetrators continue with impunity. So what should you do if you experience harassment of any kind – and how should your employer react?

What to do if you are harassed at work

Harassment – which is covered by the Equality Act 2010 – is where someone creates an atmosphere that makes you feel uncomfortable. This could be because you feel offended, intimidated or humiliated.

It might be a comment, a lewd joke, unwanted touching, personal questions, a gesture, facial expressions or staring. It doesn’t matter if the behaviour is directed at you or not – you can still report overhearing a coworker making a sexist or racist joke to someone else.

Take note of what was said and when, before speaking to your manager. If your boss is the perpetrator, speak to someone higher up. Be clear about what was said or done and how it made you feel. You should be able to make an anonymous complaint if you don’t feel able to come forward.

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If you feel you can’t speak to any of your managers, you can seek advice from Acas or Citizens Advice.

“There should be clear and simple ways of reporting harassment which are open for anyone,” says Kate Palmer, HR advice and consultancy director at the employment law firm Peninsula.

“Employees should know who they can report any concerns to, and it’s vital that there’s more than one route available for reporting. Problems can arise if the person an employee has to report allegations of harassment to is the same person alleged to be carrying out the harassment and can result in incidents going unreported.”

It’s also helpful to know your rights. Harassment of any kind is a form of discrimination that is unlawful. “Employees who have been harassed at work can take their employer to an employment tribunal,” says Palmer. “If the employer is found to have harassed the employee, or is vicariously liable for an employee’s harassing behaviour, it will be ordered to pay compensation.”

What should your employer do if you report harassment?

“All reports of workplace harassment should be taken seriously, including allegations of sexual harassment, regardless of who the allegations are being made against,” says Palmer.

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Employers should have clear processes in place for what happens if someone reports harassment.

“An investigation should be opened to find out more details and information around the alleged incident, with all parties and any potential witnesses,” Palmer adds. “You have a duty of care to all employees, so it’s important to check with the person making the allegations whether they want to be separated from the alleged harasser, while you are carrying out an investigation, if they would normally work together.”

People skills are very important here, as harassment can be a frightening experience. “Employers should be aware of the needs of the person reporting the harassment and understand that the matter will need handling sensitively. People who make allegations should not be subject to detriment,” says Palmer.

While employers may brag about their zero-tolerance stance to harassment and bullying, it’s important that this is supported in practice. “A culture of respect and professionalism should be communicated from the outset in every workplace and followed at every organisational level from the top-down,” says Palmer. “Anything less is unacceptable.”

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