Description

Sexism at Work: Detecting Behaviour, Intervening and Preventing

Recognise everyday sexist behaviour and know exactly what to do when it occurs within the team

  • 0.43 days — 3 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

Sexism at work rarely shows up as a dramatic incident. It settles into remarks presented as jokes, systematic interruptions in meetings and unspoken assumptions about who takes on which tasks. Managers see these situations go by without naming them, hesitate to step in, and discover the scale of the problem when someone resigns.

Three hours in person to equip managers: recognising the forms of everyday sexism, distinguishing sexist conduct from sexual harassment, intervening at the moment the situation arises and acting on how the team operates. Role-play exercises make up a significant part of the session.

Learning objectives

  • Recognise the forms of everyday sexism within a team
  • Distinguish sexist conduct from sexual harassment
  • Intervene in the moment when faced with a sexist remark or behaviour
  • Receive a disclosure from someone reporting a situation
  • Adjust the team practices that sustain such behaviour

What makes this programme different

Interventions rehearsed until you find wording that is firm and sustainable
Close examination of meeting dynamics and task allocation
Work on the manager's stance when the team treats such conduct as normal

Programme

1Recognising everyday sexism

Naming what is happening

  • Identify the forms sexism takes in workplace exchanges
  • Spot the mechanisms of trivialisation and humour
  • Distinguish sexist conduct from sexual harassment
  • Assess the impact on individuals and on the team

2Intervening at the right moment

Not letting it pass

  • Respond immediately to a remark made in a meeting
  • Choose between addressing the group and a one-to-one conversation
  • Word a firm intervention without humiliating anyone
  • Receive a disclosure from someone who confides in you
  • Direct the person to the appropriate internal contacts

3Acting on how the team operates

Treating the causes, not only the incidents

  • Examine how speaking time is shared in meetings
  • Review the allocation of tasks and high-visibility assignments
  • Check fairness in appraisals and promotions
  • Put explicit ground rules in place

Who is it for

Frontline managers responsible for a team and department heads who lead working groups on a day-to-day basis.

Prerequisites

Currently leading a team or preparing to take on managerial responsibilities.

Dates & locations

24 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.