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The way that many employers approach workplace s-xual harassment training won't change problematic behaviour at work, and can even do more harm than good, a culture specialist warns.

Most training is still a compliance-driven exercise, not a culture-changing exercise, says Culture Plus Consulting CEO Felicity Menzies.

A major problem is that it can trigger defensiveness among participants and even harden attitudes. Menzies cites research that found men who underwent 30 minutes of traditional sexual harassment training were less likely to perceive and report harassment.

Speaking to HR Daily, she points out that "overwhelmingly, the perpetrators [of sexual harassment] are men", so when employers put people in a room together they often create a sense of "perpetrators and victims".

It's uncomfortable regardless of gender, she adds, because men feel like they're "in trouble", and women suddenly feel "very visible"...