Just Here To Work: Business Crime Team launches new workplace initiative

“People at work are ‘just here to work’, is the message from our Business Crime Team ahead of new legislation to protect employees from harassment.

PC Glen Foote explains: 

“The Worker Protection Act 2023 comes into force on 26 October 2024.
“It places a responsibility on employers to take reasonable steps to protect their staff from sexual harassment, whether that be from colleagues, customers, clients or members of the public.”

The Business Crime Team launched their Just Here To Work campaign at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock on Wednesday 16 October, visiting stores and outlets to speak to managers and staff.

It’s an evolution of the team’s Just Here To Train initiative which addresses harassment and unwanted attention in gyms, highlighting inappropriate behaviour, showing victims how to report it and providing them with information about the support available.

“We want to remind people that unacceptable behaviour in a workplace is just that, unacceptable. 
“Our campaign focuses on stalking and harassment and is designed to work alongside a business’s existing HR policies. We want to support victims and the firms themselves while reminding colleagues what inappropriate behaviour is.
“We seek to educate people about the laws surrounding stalking and harassment, how to report stalking and harassment and what support is available for staff who have been subjected to them.
“We’ll be working with Essex Chambers of Commerce, local Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and other partners to distribute information about Just Here To Work and, of course, any business which wants further information or advice is welcome to contact us via our Business Crime pages.”
PC Glen Foote

The team were at Lakeside with Essex Chambers of Commerce chief executive Denise Rossiter, who supports the new initiative. She says:

“It’s right that employers should take steps to protect their staff from sexual harassment. 
“While sexual harassment can happen to both men and women, it predominantly happens to women. According to the Trades Union Congress, over 58% of women have experienced some sort of harassment or sexual harassment in the workplace, but only 30% reported it.
“Businesses need to have clear policies and training in place so that all workers understand what behaviour is and is not acceptable. It’s essential that business leaders encourage and promote a culture where harassment is not acceptable.
“We are providing our members with information about the new requirements and developing tools to help them meet the reasonable steps requirement.” 

Our business crime officers have produced posters containing QR codes which can be scanned to link people to information on our website about stalking and harassment and how to report it.

Glen adds:

“We hope our posters will prompt staff conversations and increase awareness that flirtatious behaviour and unwelcome attention is not only illegal but can also be extremely distressing to colleagues.
“Even if victims feel unsure about reporting issues, they can still access information and support through the QR codes on our poster, which is downloadable from our webpage.”

What can I do?

If you are the owner or manager of a business and want one of our business crime officers to visit you to talk to you about Just Here To Work, please contact our Business Crime Team via their webpage.

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