Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: What It Looks Like and What to Do About It

You’re in a meeting when a colleague makes a comment about your clothes. You laugh it off, unsure if it’s really a problem. Later, another joke, a lingering look, a message after hours, and suddenly, work doesn’t feel safe anymore.

Sexual harassment doesn’t always hit like a headline. It often creeps in quietly, eroding confidence, trust, and well-being. For employees, it can affect mental health, productivity, and career progression. For organizations, ignoring it risks legal consequences, reputational damage, and fractured team culture.

This guide is for anyone navigating this difficult terrain: employees, managers, HR, DEI specialists, and leadership. You’ll learn how to recognize harassment when it’s subtle or overt, explore real workplace examples, understand the law, and take practical steps to prevent or report it. 

By the end, you’ll know how to create safer, more inclusive environments where everyone can focus on their work, not their safety.

Understanding Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature that affects an employee’s work environment, employment opportunities, or well-being. It can be obvious or subtle, isolated or repeated, but the impact is always significant. People feel unsafe, unheard, and pushed out of spaces where they should be able to work without fear.

In the United States, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits sexual harassment and is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In the UK, employers have a legal duty to prevent harassment, not just respond after the fact. In both contexts, organizations carry the responsibility to create safe conditions, clear rules, and trusted reporting paths.

Sexual harassment can affect anyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, seniority, or contract type. It happens everywhere, from offices and factories to hospitals, schools, remote teams, and public institutions. The settings change, but the harm doesn’t.

What Qualifies as Sexual Harassment at Work

Sexual harassment is about impact, not intent. Many people hesitate to label situations because it doesn’t feel obvious, but feeling uncomfortable is a valid signal.

Ask yourself:

• Is the behavior unwelcome, even if presented as a joke or compliment?
• Does it make work feel uncomfortable, tense, or unsafe?
• Have you started changing how you act, where you sit, or who you avoid?
• Would most people consider it inappropriate in a professional setting?
• Does it involve sexual comments, advances, or pressure linked to power?

If the answer is yes, the behavior may qualify as sexual harassment. Many employees doubt themselves at this stage, but hesitation is normal. Clear definitions help people feel more confident taking action.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Laws

In the U.S., Title VII requires employers to prevent and address harassment based on sex. The EEOC sets enforcement standards and investigates complaints when internal processes fail. For employees, this means you’re not expected to handle harassment alone. It’s an organizational responsibility.

In the UK, legal expectations are increasingly proactive. Employers are required to have policies, training, and risk assessments in place to prevent harassment before it happens. Liability starts when prevention is neglected, not only when someone reports harm.

This reflects a growing understanding that silence isn’t neutrality. It's a risk.

The Two Types of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Harassment takes many forms, but the law generally groups it into two categories. Understanding these types helps employees, managers, and HR teams recognize and respond appropriately.

Quid Pro Quo Harassment

Quid pro quo harassment happens when job benefits are tied to sexual cooperation, usually involving a power imbalance.

Examples include:

• A manager implying promotion depends on sexual favors
• A supervisor threatening demotion after refusal
• Scheduling, pay, or evaluations influenced by compliance

This type is often easier to spot but harder to report because of fear of retaliation.

Hostile Work Environment Harassment

A hostile work environment develops when repeated or severe behavior makes work intimidating, offensive, or degrading. This can come from managers, coworkers, clients, or third parties.

Often, no single incident seems serious on its own, but over time, the environment becomes unsafe and exclusionary. Many cases go unreported because each moment feels small, but the cumulative effect is significant.

Workplace Sexual Harassment Examples

Seeing concrete examples helps everyone understand the line between professional behavior and harassment. Examples make it easier to recognize warning signs early, before patterns escalate.

Here are some common categories to guide understanding:

Verbal Harassment Examples

• Sexual comments about appearance, clothing, or body
• Persistent requests for dates despite refusal
• Inappropriate jokes, sexual innuendos, or teasing
• Comments about sexual orientation, gender identity, or private life

Non-Verbal Harassment Examples

• Leering or suggestive gestures
• Displaying sexually explicit images or objects
• Sending inappropriate emails, text messages, or social media messages
• Sharing sexual content in group chats or public workspaces

Physical Harassment Examples

• Unwanted touching, hugging, or patting
• Blocking movement or physical intimidation
• Sexual assault or attempted assault

Digital or Remote Harassment Examples

• Sending inappropriate photos, GIFs, or videos
• Sexual comments during video meetings
• Persistent private messages of a sexual nature outside work hours

Modern whistleblowing platforms like FaceUp let employees report incidents safely and anonymously, giving HR teams the information they need to respond efficiently while ensuring even subtle unwanted sexual advances or physical contact are addressed without risk.

The Impact of Sexual Harassment on Employees and the Business

Sexual harassment rarely affects only one person. For employees, it often leads to stress, anxiety, loss of confidence, and disengagement from work. Many start avoiding meetings, changing schedules, or withdrawing from colleagues just to feel safe.

Over time, this can result in burnout, increased sick leave, or leaving a role entirely, often without ever reporting what happened.

For organizations, unaddressed harassment increases legal risk, damages reputation, and weakens trust in leadership and HR. Teams stop speaking up, issues surface late, and a culture of silence forms. Preventing harassment protects people, sustains healthy teams, and supports ethical workplaces.

How to Recognize Sexual Harassment at Work

Most harassment doesn’t start with an obvious incident. It begins with small moments that feel off or uncomfortable.

Focus on experience, not intent:

• Did it feel unwanted, even if framed as a joke?
• Did it change how you feel at work or around a specific person?
• Did it make you second-guess your reactions or boundaries?
• Would a reasonable person see this as crossing a professional line?
• Is there a power imbalance making it harder to speak up?

Repeated small actions, comments about appearance, casual sexual jokes, and “accidental” touching can cross the line over time. If something keeps bothering you, it’s worth taking seriously.

Legal Context and Employer Responsibilities

Employers must prevent harassment, respond quickly when it happens, and protect people who speak up. This means:

• Training employees and leaders regularly
• Maintaining clear reporting procedures
• Investigating complaints fairly and promptly
• Protecting employees from retaliation

When these steps are missing, trust erodes fast. Employees stop reporting, and problems grow quietly.

How to Handle Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Many people freeze when harassment happens. That reaction is normal. A clear path helps. Start by:

• Writing things down: dates, messages, witnesses, and moments that felt wrong
• Reporting internally: HR, a manager, or an anonymous channel
• Following company procedures to support investigation
• Seeking external help if needed: EEOC, legal counsel, or support organizations

Anonymous reporting tools let people speak up safely while giving HR the details they need to act.

Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Creating a harassment-free environment takes planning, awareness, and consistent effort. Small steps can make a big difference.

• Policy clarity: Make sure everyone knows what counts as unacceptable behavior, how to report it, and what the consequences are. A clear anti-harassment policy reduces confusion and makes reporting feel safer.
• Training programs: Regular workshops and training for employees and leaders help people recognize harassment and respond appropriately. Learning in practice makes policies real.
• Anonymous reporting tools: Platforms like FaceUp let employees raise workplace grievances safely and anonymously, so they don’t have to choose between speaking up and feeling exposed.
• Manager accountability: Leaders set the tone. Supporting victims, enforcing policies, and modeling respectful behavior shows that the organization takes harassment seriously.
• Culture of respect: Encourage open communication, inclusivity, and zero tolerance for harassment. A respectful workplace is shaped by everyday behavior, not just written rules.

Advanced Tips for HR and Leadership

HR teams and leaders can take extra steps to make workplaces safer and more resilient:

• Conduct regular surveys and risk assessments to uncover vulnerabilities.
• Look beyond written policies to identify subtle patterns that might create a hostile environment.
• Offer mentorship programs to support employees who might be more vulnerable.
• Include harassment awareness in performance evaluations for managers and team leads.
• Make sure every employee knows how to report harassment, including options for anonymous submissions.

Building a Sustainable, Harassment-Free Workplace

A sustainable approach combines education, trusted reporting mechanisms, and strong leadership. Employees must feel safe reporting incidents without fear of retaliation.

Recognizing, preventing, and reporting sexual harassment is a shared responsibility. Clear policies, training, and accessible reporting channels make the difference between compliance and real safety.

Book a demo with FaceUp to see how your organization can respond confidently to workplace harassment.