This article contains references to sexual harassment.
Gender equality and responses to sexual harassment in the workplace are increasingly important for Australian employees — and the issue is costing the economy billions of dollars in lost productivity and staff turnover.
According to a new survey commissioned by national violence prevention organisation Our Watch, 83 per cent of female and 67 per cent of male employees would consider leaving a job that did not take sexual harassment seriously.
Cara Gleeson, acting CEO of Our Watch, said it was encouraging to see men taking this stance, particularly due to the difference in experience of sexual harassment.
"We know that this is an issue that many women have experienced and if they haven't experienced it firsthand, they will know of other people who have," she said.
Our Watch found 83 per cent of women and 67 per cent of men would leave a job if workplace sexual harassment wasn't taken seriously. Source: SBS News
Gleeson said it sends a "powerful message" to employers about how important their approach to sexual harassment is.
She said experiencing workplace sexual harassment often goes unreported, particularly if victims are not confident they will be taken seriously.
According to Our Watch, 75% of women compared to 44% of men agreed that if they were looking for a new job, the workplace’s approach to gender equality would be an important consideration.
"I hear a lot about women who just make their own decisions about what will make them safer, and that's things like maybe changing their job, moving into a different team, or they might actually take a demotion or sideways step."
The cost of workplace sexual harassment
As well as costs to the victim, workplace sexual harassment has a cost to the workplace and the economy.
According to a 2018 Deloitte Access Economics analysis, workplace sexual harassment cost the Australian economy approximately $3.8 billion that year.
Sexual harassment at work has significant impacts on individuals, businesses and the economy. Source: SBS News
Gleeson said the recruitment process, hiring new staff and upskilling team members when somebody leaves, translate into financial and productivity costs to a business.
"If that turnover is happening because of sexual harassment and how your workplace is not seen and trusted by your workers to address sexual harassment ... you're starting to see that cost attached to it," she said.
"So every time you might lose someone in your team that could have been your potential next best star and you've lost them because they experienced sexual harassment in the workplace ... that's a real loss for your business."
How to identify sexual harassment at work
There are a myriad of behaviours or incidents that can be categorised as workplace sexual harassment.
According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, more than 40 per cent of women and 26 per cent of men have experienced workplace sexual harassment.
Louise Weine is CEO of the National Association of Women in Operations, which champions women in historically male-oriented workplaces.
She said sexual harassment can take place in person or digitally and can include sexual jokes or innuendos, comments about a person's body, or repeatedly pursuing somebody.
"There can be snide remarks about how people look in their uniforms, or how people are presenting themselves, or there can be what people consider to be complimentary remarks that are really making somebody feel uncomfortable," she said.
"Then you go to the other end of the spectrum where you've got really horrible harassing behaviour, people who can't take no as an answer, people who think it's okay to make blatant sexual remarks, people who think it's OK to brush up against people inappropriately, right through to even sexual assault."
Do employers have a responsibility to prevent sexual harassment?
Workplace sexual harassment and discrimination is illegal in Australia, and under regulatory changes from 2023, employers are required to proactively prevent and eliminate sexual harassment and discrimination.
But not all leaders understand this responsibility.
According to Our Watch data released in 2024, 40 per cent of workplace leaders were not aware of their new legal obligations, while only 76 per cent of leaders knew that workplace sexual harassment was illegal.
Weine said it is important for employers to be aware of the laws, establish boundaries and ensure there are clear parameters about what is and isn't acceptable behaviour at work.
"We work really hard to do that education and ensure that leaders understand how to prevent it from occurring rather than waiting for something to happen and reacting to it," she said.
"And there's got to be a culture where people are able to freely report what's happening in their workplace and getting onto things before they become a major problem."
Gleeson said establishing a positive workplace culture and prioritising gender equality benefits both employees and employers.
"They see dividends in their team being happy and satisfied and delivering on productivity, and being able to give a competitive edge," she said.
"When our leaders allow us to be [the] best versions of ourselves at work, whether that's safe from harm of harassment or because your conditions and policies support you ... you get to really get the best out of people."
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
