Petaurum HR launches Sexual Harassment Culture Scan for UK Businesses

Independent new service helps employers identify hidden workplace risks and prepare evidence for complaince with enhanced sexual-harassment duties

LINCOLN, UNITED KINGDOM, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Petaurum HR has launched its new Sexual Harassment Culture Scan, an independent and confidential service designed to help UK employers understand their workplace culture, identify potential risks and take practical steps to prevent sexual harassment.

The service combines anonymous employee feedback, confidential interviews, focus groups and policy analysis to reveal whether employees’ lived experiences reflect the standards and values described in an organisation’s policies.

Its launch comes as UK employers prepare for stronger workplace-harassment protections under the Employment Rights Act 2025.

Since October 2024, employers have had a proactive legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. From 30 October 2026, employers will be expected to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment and will also have an obligation not to permit employees to be harassed by third parties such as customers, clients and contractors.

The changes apply to employers regardless of their organisation’s size or sector. Current government guidance encourages businesses to begin preparing for the strengthened requirements.

Moving beyond policies and training

Petaurum HR developed the Culture Scan in response to a common challenge facing employers: policies, procedures and training records do not necessarily provide a complete picture of what employees experience at work.

An absence of formal complaints may not mean that an organisation is free from risk. Employees may feel uncomfortable reporting inappropriate behaviour, managers may create inconsistent experiences across different teams, and leadership teams may have limited visibility of concerns developing beneath the surface.

The Culture Scan gives employers an independent source of evidence about their culture and highlights where further action may be needed.

The assessment includes:
• An anonymous and confidential workforce survey
• One-to-one interviews with a representative sample of employees
• Facilitated employee focus groups
• A review of relevant policies, procedures and training materials
• Benchmarking against the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s guidance
• A board-ready report and prioritised action plan

The process is delivered independently over a timescale determined by the organisation’s size, priorities and circumstances.

Evidence leadership teams can act upon

At the end of the assessment, organisations receive a comprehensive Board-ready Culture Scan Report containing findings from across the different evidence sources.

The report includes an evidence-based risk assessment, identification of priority areas, benchmarking against the EHRC framework and a structured action plan. An executive summary and leadership debrief are also provided to help senior decision-makers understand the results and determine their next steps.

The service has been created specifically with the realities of small and medium-sized organisations in mind. Its approach is intended to be proportionate, practical and capable of being delivered without unnecessary disruption to everyday operations.

Petaurum HR’s lead on the Culture Scan proposition commented:
“Policies and training are important, but they cannot tell a leadership team everything about how safe people feel or what they experience in their everyday working lives,” said Hayley Crawford KPM, Sexual violence (prevention) specialist, and HR Adviser at Petaurum HR.
“The Culture Scan gives employees a confidential opportunity to be heard and gives leaders independent evidence they can act upon. It is not about waiting for a complaint or assuming that silence means there is no risk. It is about understanding the organisation’s culture clearly and taking informed, proportionate action.”

Crawford is a former police inspector and specialist in violence against women and girls. She created the internationally recognised Ask for Angela safeguarding initiative and brings strategic sexual violence prevention experience to businesses.

Preparing for the changing legal standard

The Equality and Human Rights Commission can take enforcement action where an employer breaches its existing preventative duty. Where a worker succeeds in a sexual-harassment claim, an employment tribunal may also increase the compensation awarded by up to 25% if it finds that the preventative duty was breached.

Petaurum HR emphasises that the Culture Scan is not a guarantee of legal compliance or a substitute for legal advice. It provides organisations with structured evidence, independent insight and practical recommendations that can support their wider prevention work.

The new service is available to UK organisations now. Employers can learn more or arrange a confidential, no-obligation discovery conversation at https://lm.petaurumhr.co.uk/culture/.

About Petaurum HR

Petaurum HR is a UK human-resources consultancy that helps organisations create better workplaces through straightforward, people-focused HR support.
The consultancy works with growing businesses and established organisations, providing outsourced HR services, strategic support, training, audits and tailored people projects. Petaurum HR operates from offices in London, Suffolk and Lincoln serving the UK.

For more information, visit https://petaurumhr.co.uk/.

Adam Davey
Petaurum HR
+44 1522 719438
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