Gender at Work has launched a new free toolkit aimed at helping organisations strengthen workplace standards and take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment before it occurs.
The toolkit, “Safe & Respectful Workplaces: Preventing Sexual Harassment Together,” offers practical guidance, tools, and resources to support employers in strengthening workplace standards, setting clear expectations around conduct, and promoting cultures where inappropriate behaviour is identified early, addressed decisively, and prevented from escalating.
“While much of the public conversation focuses on what happens after harm occurs, prevention is possible and must be part of the solution,” Gender at Work’s Teresa Lee said.
“Too often, organisations think about sexual harassment only once a complaint has been made.”
Lee said every workplace carries some level of risk. A low number of disclosures does not necessarily indicate a harassment-free environment, as sexual harassment remains widely underreported despite being a serious workplace issue.
A key feature of the toolkit is a practical traffic light framework designed to help organisations assess workplace behaviours along a continuum of risk.
According to Gender at Work Manager Lamorna Walsh, the framework is intended to help employers and employees have clearer conversations about what constitutes acceptable conduct and what crosses the line into inappropriate behaviour, which can contribute to a workplace culture where disrespect is normalised and harm is more likely to occur.
“Even when something doesn’t breach a policy or meet a legal threshold, it can still undermine trust, safety, and inclusion. Prevention means recognising those early warning signs and responding before harm occurs.”
The resource was developed by Gender at Work, part of YWCA Tāmaki Makaurau, drawing on guidance from experts including Prevention Aotearoa, HELP Auckland, Shine DVFREE, Rape Prevention Education, Tautoko Mai, the Gender at Work Advisory Board, community members, and workplaces across a range of industries.