- What is sexual harassment, and who is vulnerable?
- Examples of sexual harassment
- Framework for taking action
- Who has responsibilities regarding sexual harassment in the workplace
Our courses help employees understand what sexual harassment is and how to prevent it in the workplace. By launching proactive respect in the workplace training for employees, organisations can directly align with the latest compliance frameworks established by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Since the introduction of the positive duty, which was created under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, employers have a legal obligation to proactively prevent any type of sexual discrimination in the workplace. This means annual training of employees in their statutory obligations under the positive duty legislation, ensuring that all workers possess the practical skills necessary to identify systemic risks and prevent harassment early.
Respect at Work Training for Employees
Respect@Work training courses provide expert staff training to support the prevention of sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. These highly specialised training programs seamlessly incorporate modern bystander strategies and early intervention techniques.
With a clear knowledge of their obligations and rights, employees can actively contribute to a safe and respectful culture. Respect@Work training provides your team with the skills and knowledge required to maintain a positive, inclusive workplace environment.
Respect@Work training is designed for all employees within your organisation to help you to comply with your ‘positive duty’ obligations. This structural safeguard ensures streamlined compliance for both onboarding new starters and delivering annual refresher training to current staff. As a core element of our comprehensive compliance support, this training drives clear leadership accountability and shapes professional conduct across your entire business hierarchy.
Training Overview
The Respect@Work training is an effective workplace training solution for employees, equipping them with the knowledge and tools needed to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination. As employees, the course focuses on meeting the positive duty with an emphasis on understanding rights and obligations and how to ensure respect at work. Through interactive scenarios and practical guidance, the online course promotes a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment for all employees.
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
- Identify sexual harassment behaviours
- Identify actions to take if you are a victim or witness of sexual harassment
- Understand actions your employer can take to respond to reports of sexual harassment
- Understand the underlying factors of sexual harassment
- Recognise their role in preventing sexual harassment in the workplace
Australia: Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth), Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Act 2022, Work Health Safety Act 2011 (Cth), Respect@Work: National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces (2020), Time for respect: Fifth national survey on sexual harassment in Australian workplaces (2022)
Training Delivery
Training delivery is online in a 30 minute webinar, delivered through the Positive Duty training portal.
- The training is delivered via an online module.
- The training can be accessed from any we-enabled device 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Once the attendees have viewed the module an attendance certificate is issued to the employer by Positive Duty as third party certification that the training has been delivered.
Choose the right plan for your team
Simple, transparent pricing that grows with your business
Essential features package
PD Essentials
$125
per month
Set monthly price
Features you'll love:
- Employee training
- Leader training
- Certificate of completion
Advanced features package
PD Plus
$85
per month
Set monthly price
Features you'll love:
- Employee training
- Leader training
- Certificate of completion
- Prevention & Response Plan
Why is Respect@Work Training Important for Employees?
Respect@Work training is important for employees as it fosters a workplace that has a positive atmosphere where employees feel safe, valued and respected. Cultivating an inclusive and respectful workplace that is genuinely psychologically safe dramatically reduces operational business risk and liability.
Training in line with the positive duty requirements ensures that all employees are treated fairly and with dignity, while clearly understanding their obligations to one another. This proactive framework increases protection to your organisation under the Fair Work Act while strictly meeting the clear expectations set by the Fair Work Commission.
Respect@Work Training:
- Improves employee morale
- Supports positive duty compliance
- Promotes an inclusive work environment
- Enhances company reputation
- Helps managers and leaders develop deep cultural awareness to navigate underlying psychosocial hazards.
Read More
The combination of workplace sexual harassment and discrimination is a pervasive issue affecting all industries. Left unaddressed, toxic dynamics can manifest as workplace bullying, unlawful victimisation, or deep-seated unconscious bias. By embedding specialised workplace assessment tools into your regular operations, your business can activate its positive duty to prevent toxic patterns long before they escalate into formal complaints.
Respect@Work training ensures staff clearly understand what constitutes sexual and gender-based harassment in the workplace, along with the laws that prohibit such behaviour, to foster a respectful and inclusive environment for everyone. This builds a robust anti-discrimination framework, ensuring that if safe boundaries are crossed, your team knows exactly how to respond using proven, legally compliant strategies during real-world incidents.
About Our Facilitators
Ian Alcock – Co-founder
Ian is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of dedicated service in the HR sector. Ian’s journey in the industry has been marked by a commitment to excellence and a passion for empowering organisations to thrive. Ian’s unique blend of expertise and sensitivity allows him to navigate complex scenarios with ease, ensuring that clients’ needs are met with precision and care. Whether it’s strategic guidance, executive coaching, or tailored HR solutions, Ian’s holistic approach ensures that organisations receive the support they need to succeed. At Positive Duty, Ian’s commitment to client satisfaction and his unparalleled level of professionalism are the cornerstones of our service.
Colinda Farrar – Co-founder
Colinda brings a wealth of experience in health, safety, and quality. Having held key roles at prominent Australian and international heavy industry firms, she has excelled as a Health and Injury Management Advisor. Colinda’s dedication to quality is evident in her adeptness at developing and implementing accredited quality management systems tailored to the needs of heavy industry clients. Colinda is passionate about assisting businesses with their policy requirements, leveraging her expertise to ensure regulatory compliance and organisational excellence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Respect@Work training legally required for all Australian businesses?
Yes. Following the passage of the landmark human rights legislation amendment, providing proactive education to your staff is effectively legally required to satisfy your positive duty obligations. The law explicitly shifts the burden onto employers to prevent discrimination, sexual harassment, and victimisation before they happen. Failing to provide regular, documented training leaves your business exposed to significant legal and financial risk.
What exactly is covered in a respectful workplace program?
A comprehensive and respectful workplace program goes far beyond standard “tick-a-box” compliance. Our training programs ensure participants walk away with a deep understanding of modern workplace conduct, psychosocial hazards, and the legal frameworks protecting workers. More importantly, it focuses on actionable and respectful behaviours, teaching employees how to safely use bystander strategies and resolve conflicts early.
Who enforces these compliance standards, and what are the risks?
The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), spearheaded by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, has rigorous enforcement powers to investigate organisations. If your business cannot prove that it actively practices preventative compliance and trains its staff, the Commission can issue compliance notices, accept enforceable undertakings, or initiate Federal Court proceedings.
How often do employees need to undergo this training?
To maintain a safe workplace culture and satisfy regulatory bodies like the Fair Work Commission, training should not be a one-time event. It is best practice to deliver comprehensive training to all new starters during induction, followed by annual refresher training for existing staff to ensure compliance remains robust and top-of-mind.
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1300 470 095We operate Australia-wide
2/290 Boundary St
Spring Hill QLD 4000
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