In October 2024, workplace harassment law changed in a way that many businesses may still not fully appreciate.
Under the new Worker Protection legislation, employers now have a legal duty to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace before it happens, rather than simply reacting to incidents after the event.
For those working within residential property, block and estate management, this is particularly significant.
Ours is an industry built around people. Managing agents, surveyors, contractors, concierge teams and housing professionals regularly deal with residents, clients, suppliers and members of the public, often in challenging situations. Many professionals also work alone, travel between sites and attend evening meetings, often managing difficult conversations under pressure.
Whilst the current legislation already places greater responsibility on employers, further changes expected in October 2026 are likely to strengthen those obligations even further. Employers may soon be expected to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent harassment, alongside increased liability relating to third-party behaviour, including customers, contractors, residents and visitors.
For the property sector, businesses need to be preparing now, not waiting until legislation forces them to act.
The reality is that harassment does not always happen in obvious ways. It is not always physical and it is not always face-to-face.
Increasingly, issues arise through e mail, social media, messaging platforms and online meetings. Many professionals are experiencing unacceptable levels of hostility and abuse digitally, particularly in customer-facing industries where emotions and tensions can often run high.
In residential property management, this can range from inappropriate comments directed at staff, through to aggressive behaviour at residents’ meetings, abusive online communication or lone workers feeling unsafe attending sites alone.
The legal shift is important because employers are no longer simply expected to have policies sitting in a drawer. They are expected to actively assess risks, educate teams and create environments where inappropriate behaviour is less likely to occur in the first place.
That means organisations should now be asking themselves important questions.
- Are lone working risks properly assessed?
- Do employees know how to report concerns?
- Are managers equipped to respond appropriately?
- Has the business considered digital harassment as well as face-to-face behaviour?
- Are contractors, residents and third parties included within workplace conduct expectations?
For many businesses, there is still a gap between having a policy and having a culture that genuinely prioritises safety, respect and wellbeing.
Training, awareness and open conversations are now essential. Employees need confidence that concerns will be taken seriously, whilst employers need confidence that they are taking meaningful preventative action rather than simply reacting once something has gone wrong.
This is where organisations such as the Hollie Gazzard Trust are becoming increasingly important.
The Trust was founded following the tragic murder of Hollie Gazzard in 2014 and has since become a leading voice in personal safety, domestic abuse awareness and workplace wellbeing. Its work supports individuals, educational settings and businesses through practical training, webinars, digital resources and awareness campaigns designed to create safer environments and encourage proactive conversations.
For businesses within the residential property sector, this type of support is particularly valuable because it is practical, accessible and focused on prevention. The Trust’s webinars and digital toolkits can help organisations better understand workplace harassment, personal safety, warning signs and how to support employees who may be experiencing abuse or concerning behaviour.
The organisations that will navigate these changes best are the ones willing to move beyond a “tick-box” approach and genuinely think about how their employees experience the workplace day to day. Do staff feel supported? Do they feel safe raising concerns? Are managers confident dealing with difficult situations sensitively and professionally?
In a sector already facing pressures around recruitment, retention and burnout, creating psychologically safe workplaces matters more than ever. Employees increasingly want to work for organisations where wellbeing is taken seriously and where respect is embedded into everyday practice.
For many property professionals, these legal changes should not simply be viewed as another compliance obligation looming on the horizon. They should be seen as an opportunity to strengthen workplace culture, better support employees and create safer working environments across the industry.
