CPD – Avoiding Sexual Harassment at Work

Creating a safe work environment from all forms of abuse is important for employees’ health and performance. Working in a secured space can improve working conditions for employees. It can boost their performance and morale. Unfortunately, not all employers can provide that kind of environment. One of the problems employees have to face is sexual harassment at work.

The UK Government recorded that 26.5% of sexual harassment happened at a place of work between 2022-2023. Meanwhile, a company should be able to create a work environment free from any harassment. Also, a workplace should be able to promote self-respect and respect among colleagues. Therefore, this course will help you get that.

What is sexual harassment at work?

Sexual harassment at work is an unwanted sexual behaviour that happens in the workplace. It can affect the employees, contractors, self-employed people hired to personally do the work, and even job applicants. Typically, it involves actions that violate someone’s dignity or create a frightening, hostile, insulting, embarrassing, or offencive experience for someone.

This behaviour can occur as a single incident or repeated pattern. Also, it can happen either in person or online. Whether in meetings, messaging tools, email, or any other way. Sometimes, people may ignore this situation as a joke or banter. But it does not make it acceptable. This incident is usually directed at an individual. But oftentimes, it does not specifically aim at one person. These are some examples of sexual harassment at work:

• Saying inappropriate things about someone’s looks
• Asking questions about someone’s sex life
• Telling sexually offencive jokes
• Touching someone against their will
• Displaying or sharing graphic images
• Sexual assault or rape

Employers must take action to create a safe workplace and prevent this situation. The employers have to impose strict penalties on the perpetrator when this incident happens. In the hope of this, the CCM offers you the opportunity to learn how to avoid sexual harassment at work.

Course Introduction

As an employer, you should be able to create a safe working condition, away from any form of harassment. In the CPD – Avoiding Sexual Harassment at Work, the participants will learn how to prevent and handle such situations. Especially to raise awareness about this serious topic which can happen anytime or anywhere. Furthermore, this is what participants will learn from this course:

1. Analyse scenarios
2. Create a complete harassment prevention plan
3. Use the UK law as the foundation to prevent harassment
4. What to do after experiencing it

Creating a secured workplace is important for your business's long-term success. Happy employees are more productive and efficient. This leads to better overall performance for the company. Moreover, it saves you from legal troubles that can happen and affect the business. So, we urge you to take this course to create a better work setting for you now or in the future.

Course Structure

Sexual harassment is one of the worst things that can happen in a working environment. This course will help participants avoid sexual harassment at work. By improving their awareness of sexual harassment, they will be capable of preventing themselves from being in that situation. Also, they will be aware of what they can do if they experienced it. A safe working space is the employees’ right and has a positive impact on them. In this course, you will learn:

• Form of sexual harassment
• Setting the boundaries
• Reasons to justify sexual harassment

To improve the quality of the course, participants will engage in various demonstrations, interactive questions, and activities such as practise scenarios. Furthermore, learners will be able to handle this condition with precise responses. The CCM works closely with professionals and experts to ensure the quality of the course. If you are interested in sexual harassment at work awareness, you should take this programme.

Entry Criteria

Everyone can join the CPD – Avoiding Sexual Harassment at Work. It can happen to everyone, no matter which gender you are. This course is not only for the victims of harassment but also for people without this experience. It is going to be important for your mental health since this thing can lead to health issues.

Why does sexual harassment at work happen?

Sexual harassment at work can happen due to a mix of individual, organisational, societal, and cultural factors. Some people fail to recognise the harm of this behaviour. They often justify it with phrases like “it’s just a joke". This situation shouldn't be tolerated, and it should be punished directly. 

Moreover, to avoid sexual harassment at work, we need to understand how it can happen. Here are some key reasons why this harassment can happen:

Power imbalances

Some people with higher positions might have the power to abuse their authority. This includes when they sexually harass other workers. They know the victim might feel pressured to comply out of fear of punishment. The victims are afraid that they might lose their jobs or even damage their careers. Also, they are often base on gender power dynamics. It can lead to harassment being more likely to happen.

Cultural and Social Norms

Like it or not, some workplace cultures accept inappropriate behaviour. Furthermore, it leads to the harasser feeling brave enough to abuse other people without consequences. Some people may not even recognise these certain behaviours as harassment. Unfortunately, it is because they lack understanding or are unspoken topics to discuss harassment. This is why proper training about sexual harassment at work is important.

Lack of policies and enforcement

If a workplace doesn't have proper policies about anti-harassment, it leaves the victims unsure of how to respond. Even when the policies exist, a lack of enforcement can set the harasser free from punishment. Sometimes, victims may feel afraid to report the incident. The fear of facing backlash or losing their job hinders them from doing so. Oftentimes, it leads to victim blaming, which shifts the blame to victims rather than perpetrators.

Be free from sexual harassment at work

In conclusion, sexual harassment at work becomes a major problem in a workplace. Meanwhile, a safe work environment promotes efficiency and respect among employees. Creating a safe space for the employees is important for a business. Unfortunately, the UK Government recorded there is a high risk of sexual harassment happened at places of work.

Sexual harassment involves unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature. Whether it can harm an individual’s dignity and create a hostile or offencive environment, these harassments take many forms. That is why employers need to create and maintain a workplace free from this behaviour. They can do it by using preventive measures, enforcing policies, and encouraging people to treat each other with respect. 

Also, the College of Contract Management can help you gain more knowledge in this case. Especially with their CPD – Avoiding Sexual Harassment at Work course. Go take this course and widen your awareness and  prevent perpetrators from having another victim. 

The CPD – Avoiding Sexual Harassment at Work will be accessible soon enough, along with the lecturer’s schedule and the materials for the course. Any updates will be shared according to the live session schedule. We encourage you to contact us through the CCM team email or use the live chat feature during the lecture. We are glad to help you with any concerns.