Around a third of UK employees are sexually harassed at work, and a fifth are sexually discriminated against, but they rarely report the incidents to HR, reveals a new study.
In 2010, the UK government passed the Equality Act, which protects against being discriminated for your sex, among other ‘protected characteristics’. However sex discrimination, harassment and assaults in the workplace are rarely reported to HR, according to a new survey carried out by Birkenhead-based law firm Percy Hughes & Roberts Solicitors. The survey reveals that the proportion of incidents reported to the employer is low; and even lower for the rate reported to HR.
The survey aimed to understand the proportion of employees in the UK who have experienced sex discrimination, which was revealed to have affected 22%. To understand how these incidents are dealt with, they were asked to reveal if they had reported their experience with sex discrimination.
REPORTING DISCRIMINATION
The answers revealed that 62% of employees in the UK have not reported sex discrimination against them to their employer, meaning that employers may only be aware of one in three incidents that occur within their company. Furthermore, HR is even less notified of such incidents; 75% of respondents answered not having reported their experience with their company’s HR department; leaving only a quarter being brought to light.
To understand if the way a company approaches and deals with reports of sex discrimination could affect the rate of reporting, the survey asked respondents to rate the support they received from their employer and HR if they chose to signal sex discrimination to them. Only 9% felt that they felt ‘very’ supported by their employer or HR; while a looming 86% rated them as either ‘not very’ or ‘not at all’ supportive.
PROVIDING ADEQUATE PROTECTION & SUPPORT
“The results of the survey reflect a concerning picture of the rate of discrimination in the workplace,” commented Jade Calveley at PHR Solicitors. “The fact that many of the victims do not report incidents to their employer or HR highlights that such matters may be more common than thought. More needs to be done by employers to instil safeguarding in their place of work, protecting their employees from behaviours that have no place in today’s society.”
Through “better training of workers from the top-down, better attitudes can be ingrained, leading to victims being able to signal any incidents with the knowledge that the culprits will be dealt with appropriately,” added Calveley.
PHR Solicitors understand the importance of instilling policies in the workplace to combat sex discrimination and encourage the signalling of such incidents by providing at-hand support for those who experience it. Respondents were asked to reveal whether their workplace has policies in place that address sexual harassment; 48% said that they do, with 11% indicating that they do not. Additionally 41% of UK staff are not aware if such policies exist. The survey investigated whether employees are given training against sexual harassment, and the results showed that 76% do not.
Another new report has linked incidences of sexual harassment in the workplace to respect, bias and inclusion. Click here to read more.
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