Understanding the Risks and Impacts of Workplace Sexual Harassment on Employees and Organisations

 

Workplace sexual harassment continues to be a significant challenge for organisations across Australia and New Zealand. Despite increased awareness and evolving legislation, many businesses struggle to effectively address and prevent this serious workplace issue.

This harmful behaviour creates unsafe work environments, damages mental health, reduces productivity, and exposes organisations to substantial legal and reputational risks. Recent Australian Human Rights Commission data shows that one in three Australians has experienced sexual harassment at work in the past five years, making this issue both prevalent and concerning.

For HR managers, compliance officers, and business leaders, understanding these risks and impacts is essential for creating safer workplaces and protecting both employees and the organization itself.

What Constitutes Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces?

Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that makes a person feel offended, humiliated, or intimidated. Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, Australian employers are legally required to take all reasonable steps to prevent and address such behaviour.

Common examples include:

• Unwanted physical contact or advances
• Sexually explicit comments, jokes, or messages
• Intrusive questions about someone’s private life
• Displaying offensive material
• Requests for sexual favours

Crucially, sexual harassment doesn’t need to be repeated or intentional to qualify. A single incident can constitute harassment if it creates a hostile or unsafe environment for the affected person.

How Does Sexual Harassment Affect Employee Wellbeing?

Victims of workplace sexual harassment often experience profound and long-lasting psychological impacts. Many suffer from:

• Anxiety, depression, and panic attacks
• Sleep disturbances and chronic fatigue
• Loss of self-confidence and self-esteem
• Feelings of shame, helplessness, or isolation
• Post-traumatic stress symptoms

Research from Safe Work Australia shows that workplace sexual harassment significantly increases the risk of mental health conditions. Affected employees are twice as likely to develop psychological disorders compared to those in harassment-free environments.

What Impact Does Sexual Harassment Have On Job Performance?

Beyond the personal toll, sexual harassment directly impacts workplace productivity and engagement. Affected employees frequently experience:

• Increased absenteeism and sick leave usage
• Reduced concentration and attention to detail
• Withdrawal from team activities and collaboration
• Decreased job satisfaction and motivation
• Higher likelihood of leaving the organisation

These effects ripple throughout the workplace, creating tension, disrupting team dynamics, and ultimately harming organisational performance and output.

Conclusion

Workplace sexual harassment presents serious risks to both employees and organisations. From psychological harm and reduced productivity to legal liability and reputational damage, the impacts are far-reaching and significant.

However, with a strategic, proactive approach that combines clear policies, quality training, supportive culture, and appropriate response mechanisms, Australian businesses can substantially reduce these risks.

Creating safe, respectful workplaces isn’t just a legal obligation – it’s a business imperative that improves performance, engagement, and organisational success.

If your organisation needs to strengthen its approach to preventing workplace sexual harassment, Sentrient’s comprehensive compliance management solutions can help. Our Australian-designed platform offers policy templates, interactive training modules, and reporting tools specifically tailored to local requirements.

Ready to get started? Explore our specialised training courses:

• Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Course: Comprehensive training for all employees to recognise, prevent, and respond to sexual harassment in the workplace.
• Sexual Harassment Training Course for Managers and Supervisors: Specialised training for leadership teams on handling complaints, conducting investigations, and creating safe workplace cultures.

Contact Sentrient today to learn how we can help you build a safer workplace and protect your people and your business.

This given blog was originally published here: Understanding the Risks and Impacts of Workplace Sexual Harassment on Employees and Organisations