USA 
United Kingdom
One in three US employees say they would only report workplace harassment if they could do so anonymously, according to a new nationwide study examining how misconduct is experienced and addressed at work.
The finding comes from Traliant’s second annual State of Workplace Harassment Report, based on a survey of more than 2,000 full-time employees across the US. Conducted in December 2025, the research assessed employee experiences, reporting behavior, and employer responses to harassment across a range of industries and work settings.
Despite major shifts toward hybrid and remote work, the report suggests harassment remains a common feature of working life, with significant implications for retention, trust, productivity, and legal exposure.
Exposure remains widespread
The survey highlighted gaps between witnessing misconduct and reporting it. About 22% of employees who observed harassment said they did not report what they saw. Among those who did raise concerns, 38% said they were dissatisfied with how their employer handled the situation.
Overall, 38% of respondents said they had witnessed workplace harassment in the past five years, while 21% reported experiencing it firsthand. Gen Z employees reported notably higher exposure, with 46% saying they had witnessed harassment and 33% saying they had personally experienced it.
Customer-facing roles showed even higher rates. Half of employees working in hotels, restaurants, and bars said they had witnessed harassment, and 29% reported direct experience. That compares with 32% witnessing harassment and 17% experiencing it among office-based workers.
Fear of retaliation shapes behavior
Concerns about retaliation emerged as a dominant theme throughout the findings. Some 71% of employees who said they felt unprotected at work cited fear of retaliation as the primary reason they did not feel safe reporting harassment.
The preference for anonymous reporting reflects that anxiety, the report suggests, with 33% of respondents indicating they would only come forward if their identity could be protected.
Podcast | CPO, Partners FCU: How to succeed in your first six months as CHRO
“When reports of misconduct go unaddressed, organizations risk reinforcing cycles of fear and perpetuating cultures that tolerate harassment,” said Elissa Rossi, Vice President of Compliance Services at Traliant. “The survey findings make it clear that harassment remains a persistent challenge that employers need to address so employees can feel protected with the right knowledge and channels for responding to and reporting harassment.”
Training gaps persist
The report also identified shortcomings in employer training efforts. About 14% of employees said they had received no workplace training in the past year, raising concerns about preparedness and awareness.
It points to critical gaps in prevention strategies, particularly around trust in reporting systems, confidence in employer responses, and consistent training coverage.
The survey was conducted by independent research firm Researchscape and included US-based employees aged 18 and older working at organizations with between 100 and more than 1,000 employees. Industries represented included hospitality, healthcare, retail, industrial and manufacturing, alongside office environments.
