Why sexual harassment awareness training matters more than ever
From October 2026, employers will face strengthened responsibilities for preventing harassment in the workplace. The changes make sexual harassment awareness training an urgent priority for HR and people leaders, but simply asking employees to complete a compliance module will not be enough.
Effective training should help people understand what sexual harassment means in the reality of their working lives. They need to recognise inappropriate behaviour, understand boundaries, know how to respond when they witness something concerning and feel confident about raising an issue.
The opportunity is bigger than legal compliance. Organisations can use this moment to create safer workplace cultures in which expectations are clear, managers are prepared and employees know that concerns will be taken seriously.
Direct answer: Sexual harassment awareness training is important because employers need to prevent inappropriate behaviour proactively rather than wait for a complaint. Good training gives employees and managers the understanding and practical confidence to recognise, challenge, report and respond to sexual harassment.
What is changing in October 2026?
Employers in Great Britain have already been under a proactive duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment since 26 October 2024, following the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 strengthens this position. From October 2026, employers will be expected to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment, rather than simply “reasonable steps”. Employers will also face liability for harassment by third parties, such as customers or clients, unless they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent it.
That change in wording is significant. It raises the question employers may need to answer if something goes wrong: what else could reasonably have been done?
A policy stored on an intranet and a record showing that staff completed an annual e-learning module may form part of an employer’s approach, but they do not automatically demonstrate that people understood the subject or could apply the learning.
HR and people leaders should therefore consider training as part of a wider, evidence-informed prevention strategy that includes risk assessment, clear reporting routes, capable managers, appropriate responses and regular review.
Why sexual harassment awareness training cannot be a tick-box exercise
Compliance training often concentrates on whether an employee has opened a module, answered several questions and reached the final screen. That gives the organisation a completion record. It does not necessarily show that the employee understands what the learning means for their behaviour.
Understanding is more demanding than awareness.
An employee may know that sexual harassment is unlawful but still be unsure how the definition applies to workplace conversations, social events, messaging platforms, customer interactions or behaviour described as “banter”.
A manager may know that complaints should be taken seriously but still feel unprepared when somebody begins a sensitive conversation with the words, “I’m not sure whether this counts, but something happened.”
A colleague may recognise that a comment was inappropriate but hesitate because they do not know whether to intervene, check in privately, record what they witnessed or report the concern.
Training should help people work through these moments before they encounter them in real life. The central question should not be, “Have our people completed the training?” It should be:
Do our people understand what this means for them?
That includes whether they understand:
- which behaviours may amount to sexual harassment
- how impact and context can matter, even when harm was not intended
- what respectful workplace boundaries look like
- how power, seniority and status can affect an interaction
- how to respond when they witness inappropriate behaviour
- where and how to report concerns
- what managers must do when a concern is raised
- how the organisation will respond to harassment by customers, clients or other third parties.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s guidance identifies staff and manager training, policy updates, complaints mechanisms, effectiveness reviews and refresher training among the practical measures employers should consider.
What does effective sexual harassment awareness training look like?
Effective training makes an important and sensitive subject practical without trivialising it.
At ted Learning, we use drama-based learning and live actor-led training to help participants explore realistic workplace situations safely. Rather than discussing inappropriate behaviour only as an abstract legal concept, learners can see how it may develop during an everyday interaction.
For example, a scenario might involve a senior colleague making repeated personal comments to a junior team member. The person making the comments may describe them as compliments. The recipient becomes visibly uncomfortable, while other colleagues notice but say nothing.
Participants can explore questions such as:
- At what point should somebody respond?
- What makes the behaviour inappropriate?
- How might the power difference affect the recipient?
- What could a colleague say in the moment?
- What should a manager do after receiving a report?
- How might the response affect trust in the organisation?
In forum theatre, participants can pause a scene, discuss the behaviour and suggest different responses. An actor can then replay the situation so the group can observe how a change in language, timing or behaviour affects the outcome.
This creates space for practical behavioural rehearsal. People move beyond knowing a rule and begin to develop the words and confidence needed to act.
The reflective discussion is equally important. It allows learners to examine assumptions, hear different perspectives and consider how workplace culture can make it easier or harder for somebody to challenge behaviour.
Practical insight from ted Learning: People are more likely to apply learning when they have explored realistic situations, discussed the consequences of different responses and rehearsed what they could say or do.
How can training help embed a safe workplace culture?
A safe workplace culture is not created by a single course. It develops through repeated signals about which behaviours are expected, what leaders pay attention to and what happens when somebody raises a concern.
Well-designed training can support that culture in several ways.
It creates a shared language
People need clear definitions and relevant examples. Ambiguity allows employees to dismiss concerning behaviour as humour, personality or misunderstanding.
Training creates a common language for discussing consent, boundaries, unwanted conduct, impact, power and responsibility. This makes it easier for employees to identify concerns and speak about them clearly.
It makes expectations visible
Policies matter, but employees experience culture through behaviour. Scenario-based training allows an organisation to demonstrate what respectful conduct looks like and where its boundaries sit.
This is particularly useful in situations where social and professional lines may become blurred, including work celebrations, conferences, travel, hospitality and informal digital communication.
It develops active bystanders
Preventing workplace sexual harassment should not depend solely on the person experiencing it. Colleagues may be able to interrupt inappropriate behaviour, create a distraction, check in with the person affected, record what they witnessed or report a concern.
Training should give employees several response options rather than implying that everybody must make a dramatic public challenge.
It improves reporting confidence
People are more likely to speak up when reporting routes are clear and the organisation’s likely response has been explained.
Employees should know who they can approach, what will happen next, how confidentiality will be handled and what support may be available. They should also understand that retaliation or victimisation will not be accepted.
It makes prevention a leadership responsibility
Leaders and managers shape the informal rules of a workplace. Their response to a problematic joke, an uncomfortable team dynamic or an initial disclosure tells employees what the organisation genuinely values.
Sexual harassment training for managers should therefore go beyond the content provided to the wider workforce. Managers need practice in listening without judgement, avoiding promises they cannot keep, recording concerns appropriately, escalating them promptly and maintaining professional boundaries.
What are the risks of not providing effective training?
The most serious risk is harm to an employee. Sexual harassment can affect a person’s wellbeing, dignity, confidence, relationships and ability to feel safe at work.
There are also significant organisational risks.
Legal and financial exposure
Where a tribunal finds that sexual harassment occurred and the preventative duty was breached, compensation may be increased by up to 25%. The Equality and Human Rights Commission also has enforcement powers in relation to the preventative duty.
From October 2026, the strengthened “all reasonable steps” requirement and third-party harassment provisions will increase the importance of demonstrating a thorough and proactive approach.
Training alone will not remove liability. However, ineffective, outdated or generic training may leave an employer struggling to show that it took meaningful preventive action.
Inconsistent management responses
Without practical preparation, managers may minimise a disclosure, ask inappropriate questions, delay escalation or attempt to investigate the matter themselves.
Even a well-intentioned response can make the situation worse when the manager does not understand their responsibilities.
Under-reporting
A low number of complaints does not necessarily mean that harassment is absent. It may mean that employees lack confidence in the reporting process or believe that nothing will happen.
Organisations should be careful not to interpret silence as evidence of safety.
Damage to trust and culture
Employees observe how an organisation responds when somebody raises a concern. A poor response can undermine confidence far beyond the people directly involved.
Where inappropriate behaviour is tolerated from a senior employee, high performer, customer or client, the organisation sends a clear message about whose comfort and status it values.
Reputational and retention risks
Unaddressed harassment can contribute to grievances, absence, disengagement and unwanted employee turnover. It can also damage relationships with candidates, clients, suppliers and other stakeholders if concerns become public.
The central risk: An employer may have a policy and completion records but still lack evidence that its people understood the expected behaviour, knew how to respond and trusted the organisation to act.
How should HR and people leaders prepare?
Preparation should begin with the risks present in the organisation rather than with a generic training package.
Consider where and when inappropriate behaviour could occur. This might include isolated working, late-night shifts, work travel, customer-facing roles, social events, online communication, alcohol-related hospitality or environments with pronounced power differences.
Training can then be designed around relevant roles and situations.
Employees need to understand expected behaviour, reporting routes and bystander options. Managers need additional practice in receiving and escalating concerns. Senior leaders need to understand governance, accountability and the cultural signals created by their own behaviour.
Organisations should also consider third-party risks. Employees working with customers, patients, service users, contractors or clients may face situations over which they have limited control. They need to know that the organisation’s standards still apply and what practical support will be provided.
After training, HR teams should evaluate more than attendance. Useful questions include:
- Can participants recognise less obvious examples of sexual harassment?
- Do they know where to raise a concern?
- Do managers know what to do after a disclosure?
- Do employees feel more confident about bystander action?
- Are the scenarios relevant to the organisation’s actual risks?
- What themes or misunderstandings emerged during the session?
- What follow-up action is needed?
This turns training into a source of organisational learning rather than a one-off compliance event.
Key takeaways
- Employers have had a proactive duty to prevent sexual harassment since 26 October 2024.
- October 2026 will strengthen the duty from taking “reasonable steps” to taking “all reasonable steps”.
- Employers will also have greater responsibility for harassment by third parties, including customers and clients.
- Completion data does not prove that employees understand how the law and organisational expectations apply to them.
- Effective sexual harassment awareness training should use relevant examples, discussion and behavioural rehearsal.
- Managers need additional training so they can receive disclosures and respond appropriately.
Move beyond compliance with sexual harassment awareness training
The October 2026 changes should prompt organisations to review their training, but the strongest reason to act is not simply the wording of the legislation.
It is the opportunity to build a workplace where people understand the boundaries, recognise inappropriate conduct and have the confidence to respond.
At ted Learning, our drama-based approach brings workplace situations to life through professional actors, realistic scenarios, forum theatre, reflective discussion and practical behavioural rehearsal. This helps employees and managers explore not only what the rules say, but what those rules mean for their everyday choices and conversations.
Explore ted Learning’s sexual harassment training options and discuss how we can support your organisation in developing understanding, confidence and a safer workplace culture.
Transparency and review note
This article was created for ted Learning as practical workplace training guidance. It draws on ted Learning’s experience in drama-based learning, live actor-led training and workplace skills development, alongside external evidence and guidance where relevant.This content is intended for general training and information purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. If you are dealing with a specific legal, employment, safeguarding, health and safety or regulatory matter, you should seek appropriate legal, HR or professional advice. The article should be reviewed periodically to ensure that external links, legal references, employment guidance, equality references, health and safety guidance and ted Learning course information remain accurate and up to date.
Last reviewed: 27th July 2026.
Next review recommended: 27 July 2027, or sooner if there are significant changes to relevant law, employment guidance, equality guidance, health and safety guidance, regulatory expectations, recognised best practice or ted Learning course content.
About the Author
Justin Smith-Essex
Justin is the Group MD of Squaricle Group & the founder of ted Learning.
He specialises in designing and delivering training in customer service, equality and diversity, management fundamentals, team building & presentation skills.
Justin is the key account manager across our portfolio. He works with our clients to ensure the programmes we deliver are tailored to their specific needs and are dramatically different, engaging and fun. He works with the fantastic team at ted Learning to ensure everything we do is on brand and delivers what our clients and learners need.
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