Reporting workplace harassment should make the unwanted conduct identifiable: what happened, who was involved and where it occurred. Acas explains that sexual harassment can include conduct in messages and work-related settings, not only face-to-face behaviour in the office. [1]
Preserve the conduct and its effect
Keep messages with dates and context, and note witnesses to spoken remarks or physical behaviour. Explain the effect on you and any steps taken to avoid exposure. Do not assume that laughing awkwardly, remaining silent or delaying a complaint necessarily means the conduct was welcome.
Distinguish the original conduct from later treatment after reporting it. Changes to shifts, exclusion or pressure to withdraw may raise additional questions that should be recorded separately.
Request a reporting arrangement you can use
If the alleged harasser is your manager, identify an alternative route through the employer's policy. Explain any immediate need to avoid direct contact while the matter is assessed. Ask how confidentiality will be handled without expecting a promise that no information can ever be shared during a fair investigation.
A formal grievance can organise the complaint; a discrimination chronology helps connect later events. Seek advice promptly about applicable claims and deadlines rather than waiting indefinitely for the employer's investigation.
Identify the conduct and its work connection Describe the words, images, messages or physical behaviour and where they occurred. Include work-related travel, events or online groups where relevant, rather than limiting the record to the employer's premises. Explain the connection to work and the people involved. Acas recognises that sexual harassment can occur through digital communication and may be a single incident or a pattern. [1] If the concern is another form of harassment or bullying, describe the facts so the appropriate legal and workplace framework can be considered.
Record context without assuming that the other person's stated intention resolves the issue. A claim that conduct was a joke does not establish that it was welcome. Equally, report what happened accurately and avoid adding words or motives you cannot know. If you laughed nervously, did not object immediately or initially tried to ignore the behaviour, explain that response in your own terms. The record should help someone understand the conduct and effect, rather than requiring you to produce an idealised reaction to an uncomfortable event.
Preserve material without widening exposure Keep relevant messages with dates, sender details and the surrounding exchange. Where an image or recording is sensitive, ask an appropriate adviser or investigator how it should be preserved and supplied. Do not circulate it widely merely to demonstrate what occurred. For spoken conduct, make a note as soon as practicable, distinguishing exact words from a summary. Identify witnesses and what each may have observed. Their evidence should be obtained independently rather than through a group discussion designed to reach a shared account.
Explain any immediate effect on work, such as avoiding a shift, meeting or particular customer. Keep the original event separate from later decisions made by you or the employer. If health support was sought, record the relevant dates without assuming that full clinical details must be included in an initial report. The investigator needs enough information to understand the allegation and practical needs. Sensitive material can be handled through an agreed channel, with a clear distinction between evidence necessary for the enquiry and information that does not need wider disclosure.
Choose a reporting route that can respond Check the policy for the designated contact and an alternative if the alleged person is your manager or the usual recipient. State whether the report is formal and ask how it will be acknowledged. If a customer or contractor is involved, identify the employer's connection to that person and the work arrangement creating contact. Ask what immediate measures can be considered while the facts are investigated. The legal treatment of third-party conduct has specific rules and changes, so obtain advice about the dates rather than assuming every situation is governed identically.
As at 9 September 2026, employers already have a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. Acas identifies further changes from 30 October 2026, including the strengthened preventive duty and third-party provisions. [2] Those future changes should not be treated as already in force for an earlier event. For your report, preserve the actual dates and prevention concerns, such as an earlier warning or repeated exposure. This allows advice to address the relevant rule without obscuring the practical need for a prompt employer response.
Ask about investigation and interim arrangements Request an explanation of who will investigate, how information will be shared and how you can raise participation concerns. Confidentiality does not necessarily mean that the allegation can be investigated without telling the person concerned enough to answer it. Ask for proportionate handling and discuss any particular risk of contact or pressure. Temporary arrangements should be clear and reviewed. If a change of shift or duties is proposed, explain its impact and ask why it is appropriate rather than assuming that the person reporting must bear every disruption.
Keep a separate chronology of treatment after the report, including pressure to withdraw, exclusion or changes in opportunity. Record the employer's explanation and any evidence linking the treatment to the complaint. These events may raise additional questions requiring advice. Ask for progress and the outcome through a recorded channel, recognising that some details about another person's disciplinary position may remain confidential. Do not wait indefinitely for an internal investigation before checking claim deadlines. A focused advice file should contain the original conduct, reporting history, current arrangements and any later disadvantage as distinct parts.
Frequently asked questions
Can unwanted messages outside office hours be relevant workplace harassment?
They may be, depending on their work connection and circumstances. Preserve the messages, context and participants rather than assuming timing alone decides the issue.
Does failing to object immediately mean the conduct was welcome?
Not necessarily. Explain your response and circumstances accurately; silence, nervous laughter or delayed reporting does not automatically settle whether conduct was unwanted.
Should I forward an offensive image to the whole team as evidence?
Avoid unnecessary circulation. Preserve it securely and ask the appropriate investigator or adviser how to provide relevant evidence without widening exposure.
Can the employer promise complete secrecy while investigating?
A fair investigation may require limited disclosure. Ask who needs information, how it will be handled and what practical concerns require protective arrangements.
What should I record if my shifts change after reporting harassment?
Keep the dates, change, impact and explanation given, together with relevant communications. Later treatment should be assessed separately from the original conduct.
Official sources
Sources checked: 9 September 2026. Check the linked guidance for subsequent changes.
General information only. The appropriate action depends on your circumstances and the applicable jurisdiction.
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