New Sexual Harassment Laws - Professional Services
New sexual harassment laws: Is your firm ready for October 2026?
The sexual harassment laws in the UK change on 30th October 2026, and your professional services firm needs to be ready.
Within the professions, the scope for potential incidents extends far beyond the office. From client meetings to site visits, long-term consultancy roles and corporate events, every interaction - public or private - could become a cause for concern.
From the 30th October 2026, one of the most significant recent reforms to UK employment law means the professional services sector will feel a big impact on everyday practices.
Under the new changes, employers will have to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. This wording is a sizeable step up from the current “reasonable steps”.
In addition, employers could face increased compensation for harassment of their staff by third parties.
As an employer, it will be your responsibility to make sure you don’t miss the deadline.
Firms will need to demonstrate proactive, comprehensive and ongoing prevention methods are in place, rather than taking a reactive response after an incident occurs. Alongside this, liability to protect employees will increase.
From customer service teams to client entertainment, how will the new sexual harassment law impact the professional services sector?
Firms will need to implement proactive, comprehensive and ongoing prevention methods, rather than reacting to incidents after they happen.
Your liability to protect employees will also increase. Here, we set out which areas of your business are most at risk.
Professional services carry extra risks associated with the sector. There are three standout areas for concern:
• Working on client premises
External auditors, consultants and contractors are subject to another company’s workplace culture, while relying on their own employer for protection, blurring the lines to who takes responsibility for prevention and action.
• Close client relationships
Employees may be scared to jeopardise the relationship with long term clients, especially when firms are reliant on their large fees.
• Client entertainment and networking
Pitches, awards dinners and conferences can often take place after-hours involving alcohol, complicating whether an incident happens within the course of employment.
The risks do not end there. Strict hierarchies, junior hires, overnight travel, limited HR support and the use of agency staff can all increase the risk of firms relying on informal resolutions instead of clear, decisive action.
Get ahead: How professional service firms can put the new sexual harassment changes into practice
The updated guidance isn’t expected until after the change comes into action, so currently retailers are preparing for a standard that’s not yet fully defined. But existing guidance from the EHRC provides a minimum standard to implement:
• Policies: Update your policies, actively communicate them and make them easy to find for all staff.
• Training: Provide meaningful, regular training and specific sessions for management and staff.
• Risk assessment: Identify environmental, cultural and operational risk factors and make a plan to minimise these risks.
• Reporting channels: Employees must know how to report incidents, and feel comfortable doing so.
• Leadership accountability: Managers must be equipped to respond swiftly, appropriately and consistently.
• Culture building: A zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment to be embedded company wide and clearly communicate expected behaviours.
The changes to the sexual harassment laws will not just affect client-facing advisors
The change in the law doesn’t just impact internal meetings or client interactions. Back-office teams, IT and support staff and after-hours interactions are all exposed to the same dynamic and this extends to any sector with regular interactions with the public.
Given how fast the landscape is changing, and the uncertainty around specific wording, professional services firms are recommended to take specific employment law advice.
We’re ready to help
Our specialist employment team have a wealth of experience with clients in the professional services.
We’re ready to help you adapt to the changes with practical guidance, suggested steps to prevent sexual harassment incidents and practical, proactive prevention tips. To ask for help, please contact us here or call us on 0114 266 6660.
