Use Bystander training for compliance with the Worker Protection Act

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 came into force on 26 October 2024, imposing a legal duty on employers to take reasonable proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment and enabling tribunals to increase compensation by up to 25% for noncompliance. Furthermore, employers are also liable for harassment by third parties, for example clients, customers, and suppliers 

Bystander training is ethical, empowering, and a clear and “reasonable measure” to not only protect workforces and push for both effective behavioural and cultural change, but explicitly reduce employer liability, show compliance, and strengthen tribunal defences.

• Show legal compliance with the Worker Protection Act
• Protect your staff from widespread harassment & sexual harassment
• Empower employees to act safely and confidently
• Foster a respectful, inclusive culture and reduce tribunal risk 

HOW WIDESPREAD IS HARASSMENT? 

Nearly 1 in 7 UK workers experienced workplace abuse in 2023–24; women (19%) and LGBTQ+ workers (7% for sexual harassment) are at highest risk. Parallel to this, 29% of UK workers report experiencing some form of sexual harassment at work or in a work-related setting in the same period, and over 50% of UK women report unwanted sexual behaviour at work, rising to 63% for ages 16–24, with nearly 20% reporting harassment by a manager. In terms of reporting, around 10% of employees witness or experience sexual harassment, yet 49% do not report it. 

Unfortunately that is not where it ends, and 64% of UK women report experiencing street harassment; for ages 18–24 it's a staggering 85%, and 35% report unwanted touching, which means employers also need to consider, mitigate and manage harassment and sexual harassment in public spaces where their employees carry out their duties, often when they are lone-working. 

Finally, globally 80% of women endure street harassment, leaving 50% feeling unsafe, especially after dark, leading many to change routes, reduce work hours or even change jobs, at a clear cost to the employer and wider organisation.  

WHY SHOULD THIS MATTER TO EMPLOYERS? 

Harassment damages mental health and wears away confidence, leading to poor well-being and disengagement, ultimately resulting in business disruption and productivity loss. Consider high-profile cases and it is easy to see how such unwanted behaviours underline reputational, legal, and operational costs. 

There are also financial & tribunal risks, which a proactive approach, like bystander training can help mitigate, improving tribunal standing, and discouraging compensation uplifts. FCA data shows many organisations fail to punish sexual harassment with financial consequences, highlighting systemic gaps in addressing unwanted and harmful behaviours.  

Employee retention and workplace culture are also affected and when nearly half of victims won’t report harassment, employers lose critical insight into cultural risks, whereas measures such as bystander training fosters empowered staff who can safely intervene, improving reporting, culture, and retention. 

5Ds Bystander Training Methodology 

Our globally approved bystander training program “Stand Up Against Street Harassment” uses a simple but effective 5D methodology to help bystanders safely intervene, helping to deter the harasser and support the victim, without putting their own safety at risk, which coincidently is cited as one of the main reasons bystanders do not become upstanders and step in; because they fear for their own safety and do not want the attention of the harasser to shift on to them.