Law firm Royds Withy King has warned of an continuing increase in sexual harassment at work due to hybrid working. Its survey of 100 financial services’ employers has found that, despite switching to more remote work, just 10 had updated their sexual harassment policies to cover online working since March 2020. A spokesperson for RWK emphasised that not taking such action leaves employers exposed to claims from staff facing harassment if they rely on outdated policies.
Meanwhile a recent poll of two thousand UK adults by Solicitors Bolt Burdon Kemp has found that half of the respondents believe their workplace does not take reports of bullying seriously, with only just over a half saying they would feel comfortable making a complaint. Young people were the least likely to say their workplace was supportive, along with those on lower incomes. Just one in five respondents (19 per cent) said they understood the law when it came to bullying, discrimination or harassment.
