13 Proven HR Tactics for Preventing Harassment in 2025

Most sexual harassment prevention programs have three basic steps: Telling employees that harassment is prohibited, sharing who they should contact if they have concerns, and promising not to retaliate against people who report problems. But preventing sexual harassment in the workplace goes beyond checking compliance boxes and rolling out training; it means cultivating a culture of respect, safety, and trust.

In this post, we'll share thirteen proven ways to help HR professionals rethink harassment prevention and build a work environment where sexual harassment has no place.

A Zero-Tolerance Culture from the Top

Building a workplace free of sexual harassment begins at the top. Zero-tolerance is the foundation, but maybe not in the way you think.

Zero-Tolerance Culture Definition

Here's what zero-tolerance means: it's not about firing someone the second an accusation occurs. In fact, the myth of "zero-tolerance" prevents employees from reporting workplace misconduct.

Real zero-tolerance means each report is taken seriously, thoroughly investigated, and followed up with actions proportionate to what is revealed. The policy applies to everyone at all levels of the organization. There are no exceptions for star performers, high-level executives, or anyone else.

Why Leadership Buy-In Matters

Company culture runs from the top down. Leaders can't abdicate responsibility and just delegate harassment prevention to HR. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sums it up nicely: "Harassment in the workplace will not stop on its own—it's on all of us to be part of the fight to stop workplace harassment".

Studies that pooled data from 32 research projects with 5,487 participants confirmed that leader support directly predicts training effectiveness at changing workplace behavior. Training works better when leaders model desired behavior instead of leaving it all to HR.

How to Communicate Your Zero-Tolerance Policy Effectively

Delivering the message with clarity and consistency is the key to making it stick:

• Stay visible and frequent: Incorporate anti-harassment messaging into frequent communications, such as team meetings, newsletters, and company emails.
• Show quick action: Respond quickly to reports so people know harassment policies are not just a piece of paper.
• Explain the range of responses: Employees need to know that consequences are not limited to firing but may include a verbal warning, additional training, closer supervision, and other options.
• Avoid confusing language: Use clearer words like "We're committed to preventing sexual harassment" instead of the vague and misunderstood term "zero-tolerance."

💡 Tip: Building a genuine zero-tolerance culture takes visible, consistent commitment from leadership at all levels. It's the foundation that changes how people work together.

2. Communicate What Sexual Harassment Looks Like

Let's be honest, sexual harassment is still something many people don't understand. Even experienced managers struggle with gray areas. Employers have to step in and clear up the confusion.

Clear Definitions of Sexual Harassment

EEOC makes it easy to understand: sexual harassment means "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors (quid pro quo harassment), and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature." There are three main types:

1. Making submission a job requirement
2. Using submission as a basis for employment decisions
3. Creating a hostile work environment

Harassment doesn't always have to be sexual in nature. Rude or offensive comments about someone are also harassment. What that means is that anyone can be harassed by just about anyone

Common Misunderstandings

We see the same harassment myths everywhere:

• Harassment only means explicit requests for sexual favors. Wrong. Research found bullying (51%), sexual harassment (40%), and racism (30%) to be the most prevalent types of workplace harassment.
• False reports happen all the time. They don't. Research suggests that only 2%-10% of sexual harassment claims are false.
• Harassment only comes from bosses. Wrong. Coworkers, people you supervise, and even customers can cross the line.
• Isolated incidents don't count. They do. Even one serious incident can create a hostile environment.
• Workplace harassment incidents are rare, right? Research shows that 75% of people who experience workplace harassment never tell managers about it.

Effective Communication Strategies

Don't be wishy-washy about your harassment prevention messaging. You need strong, clear messages from executives, not just HR. For HR teams to get the message across, it takes more than posting a policy:

• Translate policies into all the languages your employees speak
• Use examples that are specific to your workplace
• Share information everywhere—handbooks, websites, break rooms, and new hire meetings

💡 Tip: Treat employees like partners who want to do right, not potential troublemakers.

3. Craft a Clear, Accessible Anti-Harassment Policy

Your anti-harassment policy is the foundation that holds all the other efforts together. The EEOC states that a well-communicated and easy-to-understand policy is essential to prevention. Here's how to build one that actually works.

Key Elements of a Strong Policy

Every good sexual harassment policy needs these components:

• A clear statement covering everyone: employees, job applicants, clients, and customers
• Prohibition of harassment based on all legally protected characteristics
• Easy-to-understand descriptions with specific examples of what is not okay
• Multiple ways for anyone to report concerns
• Promise of prompt, fair, and thorough investigation
• Confidentiality protection for everyone involved
• Strong anti-retaliation statement that protects all who report
• Clear consequences for policy violations

Making Policies Accessible to All

Accessibility means more than posting a policy where people can see it. If you want people to actually read and understand your policy, you need to do so regularly:

• Write it in plain language without using legal jargon.
• Translate it into all languages your employees speak.
• Post copies in break rooms, near time clocks, and other places where people gather.
• For remote workers on night or swing shifts, add a summary of policy info with schedules or paychecks.
• Use annual compliance training to get employees to acknowledge your policy formally.

Policy Communication Channels

Don't just write a policy; make sure to distribute it so that people know about it:

• Give it to new hires and during training sessions.
• Have employees sign a form confirming they received and read it.
• Post it on your company website, the employee handbook, and bulletin boards.

Review and update your policy regularly. When you make changes, remember to re-translate, redistribute, and repost everything to keep awareness high.

💡Tip: Make sure your policy encourages employees to speak up about conduct they think might be harassment, even if it's not actually covered in the policy.

4. Train All Employees Regularly and Inclusively

Regular, effective training makes all the difference—but not the boring compliance videos everyone forgets after taking. When done correctly, effective sexual harassment training creates real behavior change.

Know Your Training Requirements

Here's what you need to know about legal requirements. Seven states currently mandate sexual harassment prevention training:

• California
• New York
• Connecticut
• Illinois
• Delaware
• Maine
• Washington

Most jurisdictions in Canada require some form of harassment and violence prevention training for workplaces.

Jurisdiction rules vary and can change. Even if your state doesn't require it, the EEOC recommends regular harassment prevention training as a best practice. Consistent training keeps prevention top-of-mind. That's why many compliance experts recommend annual sessions with periodic refresher training.

Include Everyone in Training

Effective harassment prevention means training everyone, not just managers or new hires. When everyone participates, it also conveys that harassment prevention is everyone's responsibility. Some roles require special attention:

• Supervisors and managers need guidance on how to handle reports and complaints.
• Team leaders benefit from expanded training even if they don't have formal management titles.
• Contract workers should get the same training to maintain consistent standards.

Make Training Relevant to Your Workplace

Tailoring programs to your specific workplace makes training less generic and more memorable. Industry-specific examples work better because employees can directly relate the training to their everyday environment. When training is relatable and accessible, it actually works.

💡 Tip: Ensure that training works for everyone by offering it in the languages your employees speak and using formats that are easy for different learning styles to follow.

5. Train Managers and Supervisors with Role-Specific Guidance

Your managers are your first line of defense against sexual harassment. OSHA notes that because supervisors are often on the front lines, they frequently get the first reports of a problem and play a key role in stopping harassment before it escalates.

What Managers Need to Do

Managers set the tone for their teams. Employees watch how their supervisors behave and take cues about what is and is not okay. Here's what your managers absolutely must do:

• Report harassment allegations right away, even when an employee asks for confidentiality.
• Ensure investigations happen quickly and thoroughly.
• Take appropriate corrective action to stop problems from happening again.
• Your managers need to be prepared to spot trouble early and stop inappropriate behavior the moment they see it.

Training That Actually Helps Supervisors Identify Different Types of Harassment

Your managers need more than the same training you give all employees. They need practical, day-to-day skills they can use:

• How to recognize warning signs and prevent problems before they escalate.
• Step-by-step methods for handling incidents when they occur.
• Clear reporting harassment procedures on who to call and when.
• What confidentiality means (and what it doesn't mean) when an employee asks for privacy.
• Preventing retaliation from happening to people who make reports.

Interactive supervisor harassment prevention training should be scenario-based to reflect the situations your managers are most likely to face. In contrast, generic training fails to help managers practice handling difficult conversations.

Hold Managers Accountable

Set clear expectations and hold managers accountable for following through. Any manager who fails to report violations or doesn't follow the company's process for handling complaints should be disciplined, up to and including termination.

How to make accountability work:

• Document everything: conversations, actions taken, follow-up steps.
• Check back on resolved situations to prevent repeat problems.
• Review policies regularly with all management teams.
• Apply consequences fairly, regardless of the person's position.

💡 Tip: Your supervisors need to create workplaces where inappropriate behavior doesn't happen. That takes more than policies—it takes skilled, accountable leadership.

6. Use Real-World Scenarios in Training

Theory and abstract concepts don't stick, but relatable, real-world situations make training memorable, helping employees recognize harassment when they see it.

Why Realistic Workplace Harassment Examples Matter

Simulation-based learning has repeatedly been shown to outperform traditional training approaches in teaching harassment recognition and in building empathy towards victims. Here's why scenarios work better than lectures:

• Harassment often involves a gray area of subtle behaviors.
• Employees often struggle to identify harassment when in ambiguous situations.
• Harassment scenarios help people recognize inappropriate behavior before it escalates.
• Research has shown that scenario-based activities lead to measurable improvements in awareness and understanding.

When you use realistic examples, people understand what crosses the line, from apparent violations to those tricky interactions that might otherwise go unreported.

Scenario-Based Learning Techniques

Here's how to make scenarios work for your team:

• Show subtle harassment, not just the easy examples that are clearly wrong.
• Use examples from your industry and actual workplace.
• Change details of real situations to protect privacy.
• Include harassment from different sources: supervisors, colleagues, and customers.
• Let people practice responses in a safe space.

💡 Tip: Good scenarios show what happens next. Employees who see the consequences of different choices understand why their response matters.

Improving Retention and Engagement

Traditional training fails because it feels disconnected from real work life. Outdated videos and abstract legal discussions don't help anyone recognize actual harassment. Interactive scenarios get better results.

Try these approaches:

• Have employees discuss how they'd handle each situation.
• Consider virtual reality simulations for realistic practice.
• Create group activities where people share knowledge.

Need help getting your training right?

Vubiz can help. Scenario-based training requires more work up front but creates lasting learning. Speak with our sales team to learn more about course customization.

7. Make Training Interactive, Positive, and Ongoing

Good sexual harassment training isn't just about what you cover; it's also about how you present it. Those old-school compliance approaches don't work. Let's talk about what actually works.

Why Positive Framing Works

Behavioral science shows that positive messaging beats legal scare tactics every time. Focusing on what people should do instead of what they shouldn't gets better results. It's that simple. So keep the following in mind:

• Nobody likes being treated like a potential problem.
• Emphasize good behavior as the norm to get more of it.
• Highlight the bad stuff too much, and you might accidentally make it seem normal.

Interactive Training Techniques

Our world is interactive, so should your anti-harassment training. That's why jurisdictions like New York require it. Here's what that looks like:

• Questions throughout the program that keep people engaged.
• Ability to answer questions on the spot.
• Ways for employees to give feedback about the training.
• Role-playing exercises where people practice real scenarios.

Training Frequency and Formats

Training requirements vary by state, but doing the bare minimum leads to poor results. Regular reinforcement throughout the year works better. Consider annual training, mid-year refresher, and activities throughout the year, such as scenario training, quizzes, and surveys.>

💡 Tip: Choose the format that fits your team and budget, whether instructor-led webinars, classroom-style, online, or blended learning. What matters is that it works for your people and is easy for your HR team to manage and track. Recordkeeping and reporting should be available on demand and not a spreadsheet task for your HR members to maintain.

Vubiz helps hundreds of companies meet sexual harassment training requirements across North America. Our low-cost on-demand courses are interactive, current with the latest laws, and easy to customize. With Vubiz, your business doesn't have to worry about non-compliance. Schedule a demo today!

8. Encourage Open Dialog and Feedback

Most employees don't feel comfortable reporting unfair practices to HR or management. Worse, the majority think staying silent is the best option. That's not the work culture you want.

For harassment prevention to work, it needs safe spaces where trust can flourish so that difficult conversations can take place.

Creating Safe Spaces for Discussion

When people don't feel safe speaking up, they suffer. Employees who stay quiet about workplace concerns often have trouble sleeping, lose confidence, and struggle with motivation, ultimately impacting their performance and productivity.

Here's how to help them feel safer:

• Set up anonymous reporting so people can share concerns without revealing who they are.
• Schedule regular one-on-ones between supervisors and team members.
• Build a culture where people know they won't face retaliation for speaking up.

Feedback Loops and Listening Sessions

Keep anti-harassment conversations going through regular communications. Try quarterly town halls about work culture or anonymous suggestion boxes.

The results speak for themselves: companies with strong feedback systems see 35% higher employee morale.

Acting on What You Hear

Don't just collect feedback. Use it. Show employees how their input shapes decisions and leads to real policy changes. When you build employee experiences into your updates, you get prevention strategies that work for your people.

💡 Tip: Good feedback systems help detect problems before they become liabilities. This creates a better workplace for everyone while avoiding hefty fines and litigation costs.

9. Implement Anonymous Reporting Mechanisms

The question is, why do so few people who are harassed ever report it? According to data from the EEOC, a shocking 70% of workers who experience harassment never report it. Research on harassment in the workplace confirms that retaliation is the primary reason why people who experience harassment remain silent, which is why anonymous reporting mechanisms help.

Why Anonymous Reporting Helps

Allowing people to make anonymous reports increases their sense of safety when sharing their experiences, especially those in junior roles or marginalized groups. 74% of employees that they would be more likely to report a problem in their workplace if they could remain anonymous.

Anonymous tip lines can help spot patterns and initiate investigations with less bias, but complete anonymity does create challenges. Since you cannot verify or follow up with the people making allegations, you'll need to walk a fine line between protecting those who report harassment and completing a thorough investigation. Anonymous reporting mechanisms will only work if you set clear expectations about the limits and parameters of confidentiality.

Simple Anonymous Reporting Mechanisms

Simple approaches will work best. You might use:

• Confidential online portals where people can safely communicate back and forth
• Confidential third-party hotlines for anonymous calls
• Anonymous reporting apps that allow follow-up without exchanging names
• Consider implementing a software platform like

Anonymous Report Anonymity

When you say reports are anonymous, you are taking steps to ensure that the people making the allegations won't be exposed through personal information, departmental information, or even metadata such as IP addresses. You should also ensure that all communications remain end-to-end encrypted.

💡Tip: If people don't feel safe reporting harassment in the workplace, they aren't going to. Anonymous reporting can help.

10. Train and Empower Bystanders to Step In

Employees need to be trained to prevent harassment so everyone feels responsible for creating respectful workplaces, and issues are addressed before they escalate.

The Essentials of Bystander Training

Good bystander training programs clarify what different types of harassment look like and the appropriate ways to address them. Effective bystander programs help your team understand how they can stop inappropriate behavior by simply taking one of these few:

1. Direct - speak up calmly on the spot or privately later
2. Distract - create a diversion to stop the behavior
3. Delegate - ask someone else to address it
4. Document - write down what you observed when it's safe to do so
5. Delay - check in with the target after the incident

Seeing other people step up increases your employees' chances to step up too.

Encouraging People to Be Allies

As an HR professional, you must often and loudly emphasize that harassment prevention is everyone's responsibility. Your employees can be allies by stopping problems, supporting those who need support, reporting issues through the appropriate channels, and encouraging others to do the same.

Not everyone will be comfortable with direct intervention. It's good to give people options, like creating a distraction or reporting anonymously.

Recognize and Reward Employee Action

When you highlight good behavior, you show your team that harassment will not be tolerated. Don't forget to:

• Celebrate employees who step up for their coworkers.
• Create a sense of collective responsibility.

💡 Tip: Bystander-friendly teams keep their employees longer and maintain better reputations.

11. Respond Swiftly and Transparently to Complaints

When an employee files a harassment complaint, it's time for HR to step up and put your policies to the test. Your response to complaints reveals your company's true colors and just how serious you are about having a safe workplace.

Why Rapid Response Is Critical

Responding with speed is important, and it's more important than you might think. As far as the law is concerned, you need to begin an investigation "reasonably soon." In practical terms, that means based on the seriousness of the accusation.

An organization is automatically liable if a supervisor's harassment results in someone being fired, demoted, or negatively affecting their job prospects. The longer you wait, the more tense the workplace becomes. You lose trust and morale, and open the door to higher damages.

Negative publicity is just the beginning. If you lose a harassment case in court, expect to pay damages, the other side's court costs, and attorneys' fees—we're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars.

How to Investigate Complaints Properly

Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to harassment complaints. Here's how your investigation must be conducted for it to withstand a court challenge:

• It must be conducted by someone impartial who has experience in conducting interviews and assessing credibility.
• It must include information from all parties involved.
• It must be fully documented.
• It must lead to prompt action if the allegation is serious, even if that action is to be taken while the investigation is being completed.

Confidentiality is important. However, even if the employee does not want the complaint addressed, the employer must still investigate it.

Sharing Results While Maintaining Privacy

Once an investigation is complete, an employer must inform the complainant and the alleged harasser about the results and what actions are being taken. This should be done before any action is taken regarding the complaint, and without guaranteeing absolute confidentiality, the employer should explain that

For the rest of the workforce, it may be appropriate to share the outcomes of the cases without identifying the parties involved, such as the types of patterns you have identified, the factors you take into account in your decision-making, etc.

💡 Tip: Communicate that you are committed to prevention while valuing people's privacy.

12. Monitor Culture with Annual Climate Surveys

A well-constructed annual organizational climate pulse survey can be a very valuable tool. Good, well-analyzed surveys can help you see where your prevention efforts need to be focused.

Designing Effective Surveys

Make sure to give assurances that individual responses will remain anonymous, as well as communicate exactly how you will safeguard privacy, particularly for written comments. To do this, be sure to:

• Set clear goals by narrowing in on 1-3 specific issues.
• Don't schedule them when people are inundated with other company surveys or during busy periods, as this may affect response rates.
• Provide language and format options so all employees can participate.

Analyzing and Acting on Results

Share results quickly and don't wait for the perfect action plan before doing so. Your team will want to see that the effort wasn't a waste of time. To glean insights from the data quickly, you'll need to:

• Segment results by department, tenure, or other groupings to determine who's facing what.
• Look for common themes that can indicate where your attention is needed.
• Create action plans with specific people responsible and with clear deadlines.

Linking Surveys to Training Improvements

Use results to drive training decisions and identify gaps in knowledge and training hot spots, track turnover, promotion rates, and employee satisfaction to see if you're making "holistic" improvements.

💡 Tip: Don't wait for the perfect action plan before sharing survey results. Share quickly to build trust.

13. Track and Report Harassment Metrics

If it's not measured, it can't be managed, so data tracking can help you identify issues before they get out of hand.

What Metrics to Track

The most important ones include:

• Categories of complaints (sexual harassment, racial discrimination, gender discrimination) to see patterns
• Status of complaints (under investigation, resolved, dismissed, etc.)
• Demographic trends (department, tenure, or other employee characteristics)
• Workplace indicators (turnover rates, absenteeism, comments in exit interviews)

Using Data to Drive Improvement

71% of HR executives say people analytics are key to their overall business strategy. Data helps you to:

• Identify "hot spots" in departments or employee groups where action is needed ASAP.
• Tailor training to functions with the highest incident rates.
• Measure the effectiveness of your prevention efforts.

Reporting to Stakeholders

Share the outcomes you find with your stakeholders. Remember, they want the big picture and how things relate to them. To get the message across effectively, try these approaches:

• Include case summaries highlighting themes.
• Summarize how the HR team managed the issue and where your team still needs help.
• Share the results of your surveys regarding how employees feel and what concerns them.
• Summarize action plans along with clear deadlines, roles, and responsibilities.

Stakeholders are more likely to take your word seriously if you can show them that your people know what's happening instead of simply assuming it is so.

💡Tip: Regular data tracking and stakeholder reporting will show that you're serious about the effectiveness of the programs that can impact your organization in terms of employee turnover, brand reputation, and legal liability.

The Cost of Ignoring Harassment

The EEOC obtained nearly $700 million for victims of discrimination in 2024, including harassment cases – a 5% increase from 2023. This is the highest monetary recovery in the agency's recent history. This monetary recovery is further broken down as follows:

• $469.6 million for workers in the private sector, and state and local government.
• $190 million for federal employees and applicants.
• Over $40 million from cases resulting directly from litigation.

Conclusion