Breaking finance and business news, tax information, jobs and more for finance directors and senior finance professionals.

The results indicate that as many as five million Brits feel that they have been sexually harassed in the workplace – the equivalent of 11 per cent of the UK’s 47.8 million working population.

In what should serve as a stark warning to businesses, a claim against a company for sexual harassment can cost upwards of £10,000 at tribunal.

If all of these cases were to go to tribunal, it could cost British business a whopping £51.9bn, insurer Royal & SunAlliance (R&SA) warns.

Despite these findings, 57 per cent of those questioned believe that we live in a PC-obsessed culture where any incident creates a lawsuit.

The research also found that one in six of the working population feels that a person’s attractiveness would determine whether or not they reported and incidence of sexual harassment.

The view that one person’s flirting is another’s sexual harassment is reinforced by the findings that just over half (57 per cent) of respondents consider putting your hand on a colleague’s knee as sexual harassment.

Making sexual innuendoes in the office was considered harassment by just under two thirds (64 per cent).

Aaron Devitt, director of professional and financial risks at R&SA, said that the research commissioned by his firm clearly highlighted the need for businesses to do more to protect their employees and themselves from sexual harassment in the office.

“As an insurer we have a responsibility to prepare our customers for the risks they could face. The ramifications of such incidents can be far reaching - employee welfare, legal costs and reputational damage could severely impact upon a business’s ability to trade,” Devitt added.

Related links

• Royal & SunAlliance