We must stamp out harassment in the workplace
Acentury ago, women were given the vote in the United Kingdom thanks to the protests and determination of a whole host of women, from Wales’ very own Lady Rhondda to Emmeline Pankhurst herself.
With our retrospective glasses on in the 21st century, it seems incredible that this historical milestone was reached so recently. What’s more remarkable are the strides women have made in every area of life since then – from politics to academia, and science to sport. Business is no exception – but the work is not yet finished.
It is deplorable that some people in our society, most often women, are sexually harassed at work. This is not just a business problem. In the past year, we’ve heard about it from Hollywood to Westminster. When it’s exposed, most men in business are as angry as most women. Few things in life are simple, but this is – we must stamp out sexual harassment in all places of work.
Certainly, there’s a huge amount that could be said about non-disclosure agreements, the importance of sexual harassment whistleblowing policies and why we need a code of practice covering their use. But what made the Presidents Club scandal so pernicious was that the women seemed most at risk of harassment not from the company that hired them but from third parties – in this case, customers.
Most employers believe they have a duty to protect staff from harassment by outsiders. But there are a few businesses who don’t understand their responsibilities. Many workers aren’t sure if they’re protected or how to enforce their rights. Before it was repealed, Section of 40 of the Equalities Act made it clear that employers could be held accountable for third-party harassment.
There’s a mistaken impression that the business community is against reinstating Section 40 – this is not the case. Such a change in the law won’t prevent all cases of harassment, but if it prevents some, then it’s worth it. What it will do is send a clear message that business is on the side of women and that we stand together against anyone who thinks women in work can be harassed.
A major barrier to women in the workplace is pay and progression. We know that the most genderdiverse companies are more likely to outperform their rivals. Yet visit the boardrooms of the biggest 350 companies on the London Stock Exchange and men outnumber women 20 to one.
There has been progress. Three in four global businesses now have at least one woman on their senior management team. Indeed, Wales’ only FTSE 100 firm, Admiral Group, is chaired by the extremely able Annette Court, formerly of Zurich Financial Services. But things need to go much faster.
In so many ways, 2018 is a great time to be a woman in work. Gender pay gap reporting is giving firms the evidence they need to do things differently. We’re seeing progress on pay and women taking on senior roles. And most importantly, sexual harassment is being exposed and confronted.
But we need to go further, every firm must have a plan for increasing female representation and pay at work. All firms must stand against sexual harassment. And government must heed our call to reinstate Section 40 so people can look forward to even better and fairer futures in the workplace.
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