Listening, learning and leading the way

With the new duty on employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace coming into force this October, many organisations are reviewing their policies and procedures. At Unitrust, we are trying to go further.

Rather than simply focusing on compliance, we have taken a preventative approach, by listening to our colleagues to better understand their experiences and identify where improvements can be made.

Over recent months, our Director of People & Culture has held listening sessions with colleagues across a range of client sites, including lone workers and those working outside normal office hours. The conversations have helped us understand the different environments our people work in, recognise where individuals may be more vulnerable and identify themes that will shape our future approach.

This work builds on our risk assessment, which examined the risks faced by colleagues across the business and highlighted the importance of creating workplaces where everyone feels respected, valued and safe.

Alongside these conversations, we have also contacted all of our clients to share our own plans and invited them to share theirs with us. Creating an inclusive workplace is a shared responsibility and we believe strong partnerships are key to achieving lasting change.

The insights gathered are already informing updates to our policies, with a revised policy due to be introduced this summer. Training will also be embedded into every line manager's development to ensure prevention, awareness and early intervention become part of everyday leadership.

While legislation provides the framework, we believe real progress comes from listening to our people and taking action. By understanding the lived experiences of our colleagues, we're helping create workplaces that are inclusive, supportive and free from harassment.