Post-Incident Reintegration in the Workplace to Rebuild Trust
Gillian is the Managing Director of Emerge Development Consultancy, which she founded 28 years ago. She is a Master Executive Coach working with many CEOs and Managing Directors globally. She is also an international speaker and, in 2020, was named by f: Entrepreneur as one of the leading UK Female Entrepreneurs in the I also campaign. In 2023, she was named the Leader of the Year by the Women’s Business Club. In 2024, she was named Businesswoman of the Decade.
Over the past 15 years, I have spent a lot of my career working in the field of anti-sexual harassment, beginning with the Me Too campaign and then working with many high-profile organisations who, following reports of incidents, have required large interventions. I have also been involved in coaching people (mainly women) who have suffered sexual harassment and have been asked to work with people who have been accused and taken through disciplinary processes, but retained within the business. This gives me many different insights into the impact of harassment in the workplace on individuals, teams, and organisations. It still surprises me when people say, “Surely we don’t need this training anymore, it is so much better now”. The answer is, whilst it may not be so explicit (although often it still is), it is possibly worse.
The numbers tell a story
Data continues to reveal the persistent nature of workplace harassment and the long tail of its consequences.
According to a 2023 report by the TUC, over 50% of women and nearly 70% of LGBTQ+ workers reported experiencing sexual harassment at work.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that four in five victims do not report incidents due to fear of not being believed or retaliation.
A 2022 survey by Acas showed that only 39% of employees felt their organisation handled harassment complaints effectively.
These numbers highlight a troubling gap, not only in prevention, but in trust. When employees don’t believe in the systems designed to protect them, a toxic culture is more likely to bubble below the surface.
Workplace misconduct has been an uncomfortable reality across industries for a long time. Despite decades of awareness campaigns, policies, and high-profile reckonings such as the Me Too movement, organisations continue to grapple with how best to prevent inappropriate behaviour and, more crucially, how to respond in meaningful ways when it does occur. Lately, I have been delivering many workshops on the Worker Protection Amendment Act, helping organisations to ensure that managers are clear on their responsibilities.
The introduction of the Worker Protection (Amendment) Act 2023 marked a pivotal moment in how the UK tackles workplace harassment. But for many employers, questions still remain: What does meaningful prevention look like? What happens after disciplinary processes conclude? How do we create a culture where safety, accountability, and growth coexist?
The answer, increasingly, lies in looking beyond compliance and embracing proactive, human-centred solutions. One example is Conduct Reflection Sessions, a new one-to-one service that offers a structured, compassionate path for individuals remaining in the workplace following disciplinary proceedings related to inappropriate behaviour, including sexual harassment. When a disciplinary process finishes, if the person is sanctioned but remains in the business, it can often feel as if there is still uncertainty remaining.
Understanding the shift: Why the Worker Protection Act was introduced
The Worker Protection (Amendment) Act 2023, which came into force in October 2024, represented a significant shift in the UK’s approach to workplace harassment. Previously, much of the legal burden was reactive, focused on addressing incidents after they occurred. This amendment places a proactive duty on employers to prevent harassment before it happens.
Under the Act, employers must take “reasonable steps” to eliminate harassment in the workplace. This means that, as well as responding to complaints, employers also need to demonstrate that policies, training, and preventative measures are embedded in organisational practice.
Baroness Helena Kennedy, one of the Act’s key advocates, summarised the rationale behind the law succinctly: “Prevention is better than cure. We must build work environments where dignity and respect are the norms, not the exceptions.”
From punitive measures to accountability
Traditionally, disciplinary processes have focused on punitive measures—warnings, suspensions, or termination. And in many cases, these are appropriate. However, when individuals remain in the workplace after such incidents, organisations face a delicate challenge: How do we support their reintegration while maintaining a safe, respectful culture?
This means that companies need to really work on culture and prove they are actively shaping environments where inappropriate behaviour is less likely to occur. However, until recently, not much attention has been paid to potential recurring behaviour. While training programmes, policy handbooks, and awareness initiatives are critical, they often miss a vital component: what happens after someone has crossed a line, and how we reintegrate individuals in a way that promotes genuine change.
In my experience, sometimes people who have been through the disciplinary process can remain in denial or still be unsure about why the behaviour was offensive. In several conversations I have had with people, they have described feeling confused as they thought “they had good banter or a good relationship with the person” and therefore did not understand how their comments or behaviour had crossed the line. What was required was a frank and candid conversation to ensure that they could see it from the other person’s perspective and to consider what they would do if they were put in that situation again. Sometimes, the cases will be highly complex, with some of the grievances being accepted and some of them being dismissed, and this could mean that the sanctioned employee has emotions and concerns about the process and their brand, which they need to discuss. If the employer has decided they want to retain the person, then there may still be discussions that need to happen to allow the person to move on.
That’s where Conduct Reflection Sessions come in.
These confidential, one-hour sessions provide a structured yet non-punitive space for personal reflection, emotional processing, and forward-looking accountability.
What makes these sessions unique?
They offer a respectful space for individuals to examine the incident, its impact, and their own responses.
They help reinforce company values and behavioural standards in a personalised, human-centred way.
They provide tools for reintegration, ensuring the individual understands how to realign with organisational expectations.
They support emotional processing, which is often overlooked in traditional HR interventions.
And perhaps most importantly, they shift the focus from punishment to growth and responsibility.
These sessions are not about excusing behaviour. They are about creating space for people to understand, reflect, and ultimately change. That’s the foundation of safer workplaces.
Why it matters: The cultural impact of post-incident support
Rebuilding trust in the aftermath of workplace misconduct is no small task. It involves more than policies and procedures; it demands cultural fluency and an understanding of the emotional, relational, and systemic factors at play.
By offering structured reflection opportunities, organisations send a clear signal: we care not just about compliance, but about transformation.
Employees, both those directly affected and their wider teams, notice when workplaces handle misconduct thoughtfully. When there is evidence of sincere efforts to address harm and promote growth, trust is strengthened. Conversely, when reintegration is rushed or poorly managed, resentment and fear often take root.
In short, Conduct Reflection Sessions offer a bridge between accountability and reintegration, between discipline and development, between policy and practice.
Looking forward: The future of workplace culture
As legal standards evolve, so too must organisational responses. The Worker Protection (Amendment) Act 2023 is just the beginning. Experts anticipate that regulators will increasingly scrutinise not only how employers prevent harassment but also how they respond to incidents.
We may see future guidance that encourages:
Restorative practices alongside formal investigations.
Greater use of external facilitators or coaches to support behavioural change.
More nuanced metrics around cultural safety and trust, beyond basic HR compliance.
Investment in ongoing support structures, not just reactive interventions.
Forward-thinking organisations are already moving in this direction. They understand that workplace safety isn’t a static goal - it’s a living process, one that demands emotional intelligence, humility, and action.
By integrating reflection practices into the disciplinary lifecycle, companies can begin to foster the kind of resilient cultures where harm is less likely to occurand more effectively addressed when it does.
Read more from Gillian Jones-Williams
Gillian Jones-Williams, Emerge Development Consultancy
Gillian Managing Director of Emerge Development Consultancy which she founded 25 years ago. She is a Master Executive Coach working with many CEOs and managing Directors globally. She is also an international speaker and in 2020 was named by f: Entrepreneur as one of the leading UK Female Entrepreneurs in the Ialso campaign. In 2024 she was awarded Businesswoman of the Decade by the women’s Business Club.
Gillian founded the RISE Women’s Development Programme which is delivered both in the UK and the Middle East, and Saudi and is her absolute passion.
If you want to know more about our Conduct Reflection Sessions or Diversity and Inclusion solutions please get in touch. We are working with many organisations on their Diversity and Inclusion interventions, strategies, policies and programmes. For more information contact us on 01329 820580 or via info@emergeuk.com
