Workplace Harassment UK: Know Your Rights (2025)

Overview

Workplace harassment, in the legal sense, is not just about behaviour you personally find unpleasant. Under section 26 of the Equality Act 2010, harassment means unwanted conduct linked to a protected characteristic that either aims to, or has the result of, undermining your dignity or producing an environment that feels intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive.

Two things stand out in that wording. First, the conduct must be unwanted, you don't have to prove you objected out loud for it to count. Second, the person's intention is not the whole picture; if the effect on you is serious enough, that can be enough on its own, provided a tribunal would consider your reaction reasonable in the circumstances.

Harassment can take many forms: verbal comments, written messages, physical contact, displays of offensive material, social exclusion, or repeated so-called jokes. It can come from a colleague, a manager, a client, or even someone in authority over the business. The conduct does not need to be repeated to qualify, a single serious incident can be enough.

Key steps

1. Keep a detailed record. Write down every incident as soon after it happens as you can. Note the date, time, location, who was involved, what was said or done, and anyone who saw or heard it. Keep copies of any emails, messages, or other written material. A contemporaneous diary is one of the strongest pieces of evidence you can have if matters go further.
2. Check your employer's policy. Most workplaces have a dignity at work, grievance, or anti-harassment policy in the staff handbook or intranet. Read it carefully so you understand the internal process, who to report to, and what timeframes apply. If the person you would normally raise it with is the one behaving badly, the policy should tell you who to approach instead.
3. Consider raising it informally first. In some cases, particularly where the person may not realise how their behaviour is landing, a direct conversation or a quiet word from HR can resolve things quickly. This isn't always appropriate, especially with serious conduct or a power imbalance, but where it feels safe, it can stop matters escalating without a formal process.
4. Submit a formal grievance. If informal steps don't work or aren't suitable, put your complaint in writing to your employer following the grievance procedure. Set out what happened, when, and what outcome you're seeking. Your employer has a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent harassment and to investigate complaints properly once raised.
5. Get external help if needed. If your employer doesn't resolve the issue, or the behaviour is serious, you may be able to take the matter to an employment tribunal. Before doing so, you normally need to notify Acas for early conciliation, and strict time limits apply, generally three months less one day from the last incident. Speaking to someone who understands the process early can save you trouble later.