Author: Adrian Ramdat (Director of Training & Consultancy)
April 2025
From October 2024, a significant shift in UK employment law has taken effect with the introduction of the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023. For the first time, employers in England and Wales now have a proactive duty to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.
This marks a vital departure from a reactive model, where employers would only be scrutinised after a complaint, towards a preventative approach. It places the responsibility squarely on employers to create safe, respectful, and inclusive working environments where misconduct is less likely to occur in the first place.
But how does this tie into whistleblowing and what does it mean for the workplace?
What the New Law Requires
The legislation introduces a new legal duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. If an employee brings a successful harassment claim and the employer is found to have breached this duty, the tribunal can uplift compensation by up to 25%.
This doesn’t create a standalone right to claim for failing to prevent harassment, but it does raise the stakes significantly when something goes wrong.
“Reasonable steps” might include:
- Clear anti-harassment and dignity-at-work policies
- Regular, meaningful training
- Accessible and trusted reporting routes
- Clear procedures for handling concerns
- Risk assessments focused on culture, leadership, and vulnerabilities.
Whistleblowing: The Crucial Link
Prevention only works when people feel safe enough to speak up.
Whistleblowing plays a vital role in surfacing concerns about harassment, toxic behaviour, or unsafe cultures, especially when direct complaints feel too risky. A strong whistleblowing framework, supported by leadership, gives employees the confidence to raise concerns early and responsibly.
At The Signature Brand Training & Consultancy Ltd, our accredited whistleblower training equips organisations not just with the legal knowledge, but with the practical skills to receive and manage speak-up reports effectively. Our courses focus on how to take disclosures professionally, protect whistleblowers, and reduce risk to the organisation.
It’s not about ticking boxes, it’s about building confidence, capability, and trust across your teams.
In this new legislative context, employers who are unprepared or dismissive of whistleblowing mechanisms may find themselves exposed to greater legal, reputational, and operational risk.
How Harassment Can Manifest in the Workplace
Sexual harassment doesn’t always look like a headline-grabbing scandal. Often, it plays out in subtle, persistent, or unchecked ways that can quietly corrode workplace culture.
Examples include:
Unwanted or inappropriate comments or jokes about appearance, gender, or sexuality.
- Repeatedly asking a colleague out after being declined.
- Invasive personal questions or suggestive remarks in meetings.
- Displaying offensive or explicit material in shared spaces or online channels.
- Inappropriate touching or invasion of personal space under the guise of “banter”.
- Excluding someone or spreading rumours after rejecting advances.
If these behaviours go unchallenged, they not only harm individuals, they damage trust, morale, and the wider culture.
There are also potential implications for personal relationships in the workplace, when they fail, particularly when there is an imbalance in the rank or grade between the people involved.
Risk and Reputation
The consequences of getting this wrong aren’t just financial. Failing to take proactive steps can cause long-term damage to morale, reputation, and trust.
The rise of whistleblowing, social media, and public scrutiny means that cultural failings rarely stay hidden. Employers who fail to act on known issues, or ignore the warning signs, may find themselves managing crisis rather than culture.
On the flip side, employers who take this seriously, who train their teams, support whistleblowers, and manage relationships professionally, stand to gain from stronger engagement, reduced risk, and enhanced brand trust.
Time for Action
This is more than a compliance issue; it’s a leadership challenge. Now is the time to:
- Revisit your harassment and whistleblowing policies
- Clarify your approach to workplace relationships
- Invest in high-quality training that goes beyond the legal minimum
- Foster a culture where people feel safe, respected, and heard
- Ensure your team knows how to respond to concerns with confidence and integrity.
Final Thoughts
The Worker Protection Act signals a fundamental shift, from reaction to prevention. And with it comes a new level of accountability around how relationships, power dynamics, and culture are managed.
Employers who step up and who go beyond policy, building cultures of trust and respect won’t just meet their legal obligations. They’ll set a standard for what modern, responsible leadership looks like.
If you want to ensure your organisation is prepared, The Signature Brand Training & Consultancy Ltd can help. Our accredited whistleblower training provides the tools and techniques your teams need to listen, act, and protect, safely, professionally, and with confidence. The time to take action is NOW.