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Worker Protection Act 2023: Hospitality Compliance Through Digital Learning

The Worker Protection Act 2023, effective from 26 October 2024, requires hospitality employers to take proactive steps to prevent workplace harassment. It’s not just about responding to complaints anymore. Businesses must now show they are actively protecting their teams, which means training and documentation can’t be optional. 

For hospitality operators, this means creating safer working environments in busy venues where shift patterns vary and team turnover is high. Rolling out consistent training and clear reporting systems across your workforce is not always straightforward, especially when time and resources are stretched. 

That’s where we come in. At Access CPL Learning, we’ve supported hospitality businesses for nearly 30 years, helping teams stay compliant and confident in challenging settings. Our online learning tools are built around the realities of the industry, making it easier to deliver the right training at the right time. 

In this article, we explore what the Worker Protection Act means for hospitality, what your responsibilities look like in practice and how you can build a safer, more informed workplace with support from our sector specialists. 

Posted 13/05/2025

Worker Protection Act 2023: Hospitality Compliance Through Digital Learning

What is the Worker Protection Act 2023 and why does it matter? 

A new legal duty for employers 

Since last October, the Worker Protection Act 2023 has placed direct employer responsibility for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. This amendment to the 2010 Equality Act moves beyond the previous indirect liability approach. Under the law, you must take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees during their work, including when they're working remotely or at work-related social events. 

The law brings three main changes for hospitality businesses: 

  • A legal requirement to prevent harassment, not just deal with complaints. 

  • Accountability for protecting staff from both colleague and customer behaviour. 

  • Failing to prevent harassment could increase tribunal payouts by 25%. 

Why hospitality employers should pay attention 

Preventing workplace harassment in hospitality comes with its own set of challenges. Your teams work long hours in close-knit environments, handle late-night shifts and interact with customers who may be under the influence.  

In fact, over half of women working in hospitality have experienced sexual harassment during their careers. This figure alone highlights the need for a system to protect your teams and respond to incidents appropriately. 

How does this law impact hospitality businesses? 

Hospitality employers are expected to take clear, proactive steps to prevent harassment in the workplace. This includes what happens between staff, as well as how teams are treated by customers, suppliers or other third parties. 

 

To meet these new legal duties, businesses need to show they are actively creating safer environments. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the regulatory body overseeing workplace discrimination laws, provides several practical steps for hospitality businesses to prevent sexual harassment at work: 

 

  • Having clear, strong policies in place and making sure staff understand them from day one. 

  • Providing regular training on recognising, preventing and responding to harassment. 

  • Creating accessible reporting systems for complaints, including those involving third parties. 

  • Responding to concerns quickly, consistently and with proper documentation. 

Recognising harassment in hospitality 

Nearly 40% of hospitality staff have experienced bullying masked as banter; more than in any other industry. That’s why clarity matters, and why staff need the confidence to recognise when something isn’t acceptable. 

 

You might be asking yourself: What counts as harassment in practice, and how clear are those boundaries for your team? According to the EHRC, sexual harassment includes any unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature that violates someone’s dignity or creates an intimidating, degrading or hostile environment. This applies whether it happens in person, over messaging platforms or through social media. 

 

In hospitality settings, this could include: 

 

  • Inappropriate jokes, comments or suggestive language. 

  • Unwelcome physical contact or gestures. 

  • Persistent unwanted attention from customers or colleagues. 

  • Harassing messages sent outside of work hours or online. 

 

The focus is on the impact, not the intent. If the behaviour makes someone feel unsafe or uncomfortable at work, it needs to be taken seriously and acted on. 

Practical steps to stay compliant & support your team 

Meeting your legal obligations under the Worker Protection Act requires more than just having policies in place. Your teams need clear guidelines, proper training and visible support to create a workplace where everyone feels secure. Here are three essential steps hospitality businesses should take to protect their teams and stay compliant.

Step 1 – Implement a clear anti-harassment policy 

Your anti-harassment policy forms the foundation of your prevention strategy. Staff need to understand exactly what harassment looks like, how to report it and what happens next. A well-structured policy helps everyone in your business understand their role in prevention and response. 

 

Your policy should clearly outline: 

 

  • Examples of harassment in common workplace situations. 

  • Multiple reporting channels that staff can easily access. 

  • Management's investigation and response procedures. 

  • Specific guidance for handling customer-related incidents 

Step 2 – Train your team on workplace harassment 

Many hospitality workers lack confidence in recognising and responding to harassment. Proper training equips your teams with practical skills to handle challenging situations and creates a more secure work environment. 

 

Good training programmes should help your staff: 

 

  • Identify different forms of harassment in hospitality settings 

  • Understand their rights under the Worker Protection Act 

  • Learn safe ways to respond to incidents, particularly with customers 

  • Know how to support colleagues who experience harassment 

 

Our Dealing with Sexual Harassment in Hospitality course delivers this essential training through an accessible online platform. Endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality and CPD certified, the course covers everything from workplace behaviour to legal requirements. Teams can access the training 24/7, making it easy to fit around busy hospitality schedules. 

Step 3 – Create a culture of zero tolerance 

Building a safer workplace starts with showing your teams that prevention matters at every level of the business. Regular conversations about harassment prevention, clear reporting systems and consistent responses to incidents all demonstrate your commitment to staff safety. 

 

To reinforce this culture: 

 

  • Make reporting straightforward and accessible. 

  • Respond promptly when staff raise concerns. 

  • Keep communication channels open with your teams. 

  • Display clear messages about your zero-tolerance approach. 

The role of digital training in compliance 

Digital training plays a valuable part in meeting your new legal requirements while making learning accessible for busy hospitality teams. With staff working different shifts across multiple locations, getting everyone trained and keeping records updated needs a smarter approach. 

Make training accessible & consistent 

High staff turnover in hospitality means your training approach needs to be both flexible and systematic. At Access CPL Learning, we understand these challenges. Our digital platform ensures consistent training delivery for every team member, offering: 

 

  • On-demand learning that fits around busy shift patterns. 

  • Automated progress tracking to spot gaps in compliance. 

  • Regular refresher modules to maintain awareness. 

  • Learning that's available anywhere, on any device. 

Track and prove compliance with ease 

With the Worker Protection Act 2023 placing new legal obligations on employers, having proper training records is necessary. Access CPL Learning's digital training tools help you: 

 

  • Track team learning progress. 

  • Access training completion records. 

  • Provide additional resources in PDF format. 

  • Show evidence of prevention measures. 

Is your hospitality business ready for the Worker Protection Act? 

In this article, we've covered what the Worker Protection Act means for hospitality businesses, from understanding your new legal obligations to implementing practical prevention measures. With the law now in effect, having proper training and documentation in place protects both your teams and your business from harassment-related issues. 

 

At Access CPL Learning, we help hospitality businesses meet their compliance obligations through accessible, industry-focused training. Our platform makes it simple to deliver consistent training across your operation, with expert-reviewed content that gives your teams the knowledge they need to create safer workplaces. 

 

Our Dealing with Sexual Harassment in Hospitality course provides essential training for all staff levels. In addition to sexual harassment prevention, we also offer Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) training. These courses are designed to help your teams understand and embrace the principles of fairness, respect, and inclusivity, which are essential for creating a positive, harassment-free workplace.

 

Ready to strengthen your workplace protection measures? Get in touch with our sector specialists who've been supporting hospitality teams for nearly three decades or explore our courses online.