Not responding to workplace sexual harassment properly? Watch your staff leave

New research offers a stark warning to employers about the overwhelming numbers of staff who would consider leaving their workplace if sexual harassment is not treated as a serious issue.

Our Watch, whose funding comes from the Department of Social Services, has unveiled the results of a survey of leaders and employees in medium to large workplaces, showing that 83 per cent of female and 67 per cent of male employees agreed that they would consider leaving a job that didn’t treat workplace sexual harassment as a serious issue.

Moreover, the survey found that women, in particular, are prioritising gender equality when applying for jobs, with 75 per cent of women compared to 44 per cent of men agreeing that if they were looking for a new job, the workplace’s approach to gender equality would be an important consideration.

Worryingly, Our Watch data from 2024 shows that – despite recent regulatory changes requiring employers to proactively prevent and eliminate sexual harassment and discrimination – 40 per cent of workplace leaders are not aware of their new legal obligations and only 76 per cent of leaders know that workplace sexual harassment was illegal.

Such findings suggest that businesses that fail to not only adhere to their regulatory obligations but also imbibe better workplace cultures will find that their staff are more inclined to walk out the door.

Our Watch pointed out that in addition to the significant personal harm, sexual harassment costs the Australian economy more than $3.8 billion a year.

According to the Human Rights Commission, over two in five women and one in four men have experienced workplace sexual harassment in the past five years – numbers that skyrocket for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (56 per cent), LGBTIQA+ (46 per cent) or younger workers (46 per cent of 15- to 29-year-olds).

Speaking about the findings, Our Watch acting CEO Cara Gleeson said the start of the working year serves as a reminder to employers of their legal obligations to make workplaces safe for women.

“Under the Sex Discrimination Act, employers have a positive duty to take active steps to prevent and eliminate sexual harassment and workplace discrimination on the grounds of sex. It is not sufficient just to respond to it,” she said.

“But the good news is creating safer, more equal workplaces is actually good for businesses’ bottom line, good for their reputation and of course good for staff.”

Addressing gender inequality in workplaces, Gleeson continued, is an important way employers can not only create a positive work culture but also tackle the crisis of violence against women.

“Evidence shows there’s a close association between gender inequality and gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, and with most adults spending a lot of time in the workplace, workplaces can really influence people’s views about the issue,” she said.

Employers have a requirement, Gleeson added, to make their workplaces safe and equal and in doing “so they will also attract and retain good staff, especially women”.

“Unfortunately, our latest survey follows reports that many more women than men are leaving their jobs because of abuse they face from customers, so there’s never been a more critical time to consider improving workplace equality to help address violence against women,” she said.