As employers prepare for significant changes to workplace harassment laws coming into force on 30 October 2026, Imogen Finnegan, Senior Consultant at Bellevue Law, has highlighted an important reality: compliance alone will not be enough. In her latest column for 9AM Business, Imogen explores why the organisations most exposed by the reforms may not be those with outdated policies, but those where there is a disconnect between what is written in the handbook and what employees experience day to day.
The new legislation places a greater emphasis on prevention, requiring employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment and introducing new responsibilities in relation to harassment by third parties, including clients, customers and suppliers. As Imogen explains, this represents a shift away from simply responding to complaints after they arise and towards creating workplace cultures that actively reduce the risk of inappropriate behaviour occurring in the first place.
A key theme of the article is leadership. While policies, training and reporting procedures all remain important, Imogen argues that culture is what will ultimately determine whether an organisation is prepared for the new requirements. Businesses must be confident that standards are applied consistently, concerns are addressed appropriately and managers feel empowered to challenge unacceptable behaviour, even where commercially important relationships are involved.
The article also examines one of the most challenging aspects of the reforms for many employers: liability for harassment by third parties. This raises difficult questions for organisations about how they respond when inappropriate behaviour comes from a valued client, customer or supplier rather than a colleague.
To read Imogen’s full article, visit 9AM Business:
The Harassment Reforms Will Expose The Gap Between Policy And Culture
For employers looking to understand the wider implications of the upcoming changes, we also recommend listening to our podcast:
The Bellevue Brief Podcast – ERA 2025 Episode 5: Sexual Harassment Legal Changes
With the reforms fast approaching, now is the time for employers to look beyond policies and training records and consider whether their workplace culture genuinely reflects the standards they expect.
