New Research Reveals Alarming Levels of Workplace Harassment: Urgent Call for Employers to Act

A recent survey unveiling that 1 in 7 Australians admit to sexually harassing a colleague has sparked criticism of businesses failing to uphold their legal and ethical duties in creating safer workplaces. Victorian Trades Hall Council says that employers are more concerned with silencing complaints than stopping harassment. 

Under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation, employers are obligated to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees. This includes protecting employees from all forms of harassment and discrimination. The positive duty of care demands proactive measures from employers, not just reactive responses when incidents occur.

"That such a significant number of people acknowledge engaging in this behaviour suggests that the real impact of gendered violence at work is even higher. Our own research found that 2 in 3 women have experienced gendered violence in the workplace, and 1 in 5 have left a workplace because they don’t feel safe”. said Wil Stracke, Assistant Secretary at Victorian Trades Hall Council. 

“But too many employers are tackling this issue from a reputation management perspective, rather than a critical risk to their employees. Employers are silencing their employees who experience gendered violence with Non-Disclosure Agreements, instead of implementing policies to address the harassment itself”. 

“We are calling on all employers to recalibrate their approach. Make a commitment to stop using NDAs in sexual harassment settlements. Instead, take immediate steps to assess your current workplace culture, implement stringent policies against harassment, and attend Safe Respectful Workplaces training.”