Recognizing, responding to and preventing workplace harassment
Recognize harassment linked to a protected characteristic, sexual harassment and harassment by customers or contractors, and how they differ from general bullying. Respond well when someone reports it to you: listen, record, be honest about confidentiality, protect without disadvantaging the person who reported, and route it to HR. Then help prevent it: policy, more than one reporting route, training, risk assessment of customer-facing roles, acting on low-level behaviour and bystander options. Uses US (EEOC) and UK (Acas, Equality Act) examples; follow local law and your own policy, and involve HR or legal advisers.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Length
- About 60 minutes
- Contents
- 3 lessons · 1 video · final exam
- Status
- Published · updated 1 Oct 2026
Skills you'll practise
- Distinguish harassment related to a protected characteristic, sexual harassment and bullying that isn't linked to a characteristic, using US and UK examples
- Respond to a harassment report by listening privately, recording the person's account and explaining honestly who will need to know
- Choose interim measures that protect people without disadvantaging the person who reported
- Route a report to HR under the policy, including when it may involve a crime or a customer or contractor
- Identify prevention steps for a team, including reporting routes, training and a risk assessment of customer-facing roles
- Explain options a bystander has when they see or hear harassment
Course outline
- 1.Recognizing, responding to and preventing workplace harassmentVideo · 4 min
- 2.What harassment isLesson · 16 min
- 3.Receiving a reportLesson · 18 min
- 4.Preventing harassmentLesson · 18 min
- 5.Recognizing, responding to and preventing workplace harassment: knowledge checkKnowledge check · 20 questions
- 6.Recognizing, responding to and preventing workplace harassment: practical exerciseKnowledge check · 1 question
- 7.The regular at the trade counterScenario
- 8.Final exam8 questions · passing it completes the course, so people who already know the material can test out
Sources it draws on
The lessons and questions are written from these references, so learners can go back to the original.
- EEOC: Harassment (US example; the page says its information is being reviewed and will be revised)
- EEOC: Sexual Harassment (US example)
- EEOC: Small Business Fact Sheet: Harassment in the Workplace (US example)
- Acas: Harassment (types of harassment under the Equality Act 2010; UK example)
- Acas: Sexual harassment (UK example)
- Acas: Handling a sexual harassment complaint (UK example)
- Acas: Preventing sexual harassment (UK example)
- Acas: Witnessing sexual harassment (UK example)
- Acas: Harassment law changes, Employment Rights Act 2025 (third-party harassment; UK example)
- Acas: Sexual harassment law changes, Employment Rights Act 2025 ('all reasonable steps'; UK example)
- Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 (UK legislation)
- GOV.UK: Workplace bullying and harassment (UK example)
- General HR practice: fair process, confidentiality and documentation. Your own policies and local law apply; involve HR or legal advisers
See it with your own jobs and topics
Tell us about your team and we'll walk you through setup, from choosing jobs to your first skills check.