Preventing sexual harassment – step 2: assess risks
Guidance for employers on how to do a psychosocial risk assessment.

The risk management process
To provide a safe and healthy working environment for employees and other persons, employers must eliminate or reduce hazards and risks. They must do this so far as is reasonably practicable. This includes for psychosocial hazards like sexual harassment.
A safe and healthy working environment requires an organised approach to finding and fixing hazards and risks. This is known as the risk management process.
Understanding risk assessments
Risk assessments help employers work out:
- The seriousness of the risk, by considering the:
- consequences for affected employees and others. For example, how the hazards are likely to affect them
- likelihood of harm occurring.
- Which employees are at risk. For example, if risks are organisation-wide or apply to:
- specific employees
- groups of employees
- specific work tasks.
- How multiple psychosocial hazards could potentially interact.
A risk assessment may not be needed if employers understand the risk and know how to control it. However, employers should carry out a risk assessment when:
- it is not clear if the psychosocial hazard may result in harm
- it is known that exposure to a psychosocial hazard is part of a job role and is likely to cause harm
- it is not clear how hazards may interact to produce new, different or more significant harm
- there are changes planned that may affect existing risk controls.
People doing the risk assessment should have:
- information about the working environment and work processes
- knowledge and understanding of potential psychosocial hazards and risk factors.
Risk assessments must involve consultation with employees and any health and safety representatives (HSRs). They should:
- Include data collection and monitoring of the risk controls. For example, using:
- information from employee discussions or interviews
- workplace data and information from focus groups
- industry knowledge and data
- de-identified validated surveys.
- Cite the evidence used.
Employers should ensure the people responsible for the risk assessment have the skills and knowledge required. Employers may need to provide training or seek assistance from a subject matter expert to help:
- analyse the evidence
- understand the psychosocial hazards and risks.
Doing a risk assessment
How a risk assessment is done may depend on the:
- nature of the psychosocial hazard
- working environment.
In a small workplace, a risk assessment may be as simple as regularly talking to affected employees and any HSRs. A more comprehensive process may be needed:
- for larger workplaces
- for workplaces in high-risk industries
- where risks associated with sexual harassment or other psychosocial hazards are higher.
To prevent harm, employers should:
- assess these risks
- proactively use effective risk controls.
Assessing risks is not a one-off action. It should be part of a continuous improvement process.
When assessing risks associated with sexual harassment, consider the following questions:
- What is the likelihood of exposure to sexual harassment?
- What is the source of the likely risk/s? For example, colleague, manager or customer?
- When are employees exposed to the hazard? For example, daily, at peak times, when a certain task is done?
- How long are employees exposed for at any one time? For example, two weeks at the annual peak demand or an hour during each shift? Exposure for a short duration may still be harmful, such as seeing someone perform a sexual act.
- How severe are the consequences if employees are exposed? For example:
- Could the exposure happen as a single episode? For example, a customer deliberately touching an employee’s backside.
- Is exposure likely to be repeated and the harm accumulate over time? For example, repeated questions from a colleague about an employee’s relationship status, either in person or via a chat function.
- What risk controls are currently in place to reduce the risks and how effective are they?
- Are there other psychosocial hazards active in the workplace that may increase the risks?
- Could an employee be permanently physically or psychologically injured and unable to work?
- Are some employees more likely to:
- Be exposed? For example:
- people who identify as women or non-binary
- employees who work at night.
- Experience more severe consequences? For example:
- employees who face overlapping forms of discrimination
- employees caring for patients displaying inappropriate sexual behaviours.
- Be exposed? For example:
Psychosocial hazards and the appropriate risk controls will vary for every workplace and often between groups of employees. This depends on the:
- Organisational context. For example, the:
- type, size and location of the business
- organisational structure and culture
- environmental conditions
- technology available
- business activities, products and services
- supply chains and contractual arrangements
- employees’ skills and attributes
- workplace relationships
- economic pressures.
- Content of the work. For example:
- organisation and management of the work
- employees’ roles and responsibilities
- activities required to deliver the product or service.
Risk assessments need to consider any interacting psychosocial hazards together, rather than in isolation. Employees may be exposed to multiple psychosocial hazards at the same time, and it is likely that these hazards will interact. The more psychosocial hazards that are present, the more likely it is that harm will occur.
Assessing risks collectively may also help to identify more effective risk control measures.
Employers should consider using a validated psychosocial risk assessment tool where appropriate. One example is the ‘People at Work’ tool. They should then work through all the steps in the risk management process.
Factors that increase risk
When assessing risk, it is crucial to focus the most effort on those risk factors that are likely to cause the most harm to employees. These could include:
- Where employees are exposed to sexual harassment frequently or for extended or prolonged periods.
- Where employees experience one-off severe exposure to sexual harassment or assault.
- Where the risk is less likely to eventuate, but if it did the consequences would be very serious or catastrophic.
- Where there are multiple psychosocial hazards interacting to increase the risks.
Employers need to ensure that their risk management process considers any additional risk factors. These are factors that could put certain employees, or groups of employees, at greater risk of harm.
See ‘Who is most at risk’ in What is sexual harassment? for more information.
How to identify risk factors for sexual harassment
Assess your workplace against the statements below. Any areas that need attention may be a risk factor to be controlled. Remember that risk management isn’t a ‘set and forget’ process. Employers should complete this checklist on a regular basis. There may also be other risk controls to consider, depending on the type and size of the workplace.
Risk control | Yes | No or needs attention |
---|---|---|
The workplace is inclusive of all genders. | ||
There is an even turnover of employees, regardless of gender and work groups. | ||
Workplace is diverse, with similar power across various diversity demographics. | ||
Social activities are inclusive. | ||
Inappropriate or derogatory comments are rare. When this occurs, people speak up. | ||
Meetings and forums are accessible and inclusive. | ||
There are no materials in the workplace that people may find offensive. For example, pornography or sexist material. | ||
Employee dress codes are not gender-specific, are relevant to each role, and prioritise health and safety. | ||
There are no areas in the workplace that are isolated or intimidating to enter, or there are systems in place to reduce the risks. For example, a buddy or check-in system. | ||
Online work environments are monitored for harmful behaviour. | ||
New employees are properly inducted and supported to perform their duties. | ||
All employees have access to appropriate facilities, equipment and uniforms. Uniforms are based on the needs of the employee and don’t make anyone feel disrespected or vulnerable. | ||
All employees are aware of available support services. For example, HSRs, union representatives, Employee Assistance Programs. |