Respect in 2025 is nuanced and based on context. Everyone’s concept of “respect” is slightly different and influenced by our unique life experiences, and when someone feels disrespected, they often describe disrespect as harassment. Learning how to show respect to your different co-workers is a skill that can be developed, practiced, and that can reduce co-worker friction (and claims of harassment).
Our new Preventing Workplace Harassment course covers all the legally required concepts of harassment across all 50 U.S. states (or our Canadian version, Indian version, or Global version). But in addition to illustrating potentially harassing behavior, this course teaches the skills to be more intentionally respectful to different types of people in order to reduce co-worker conflict and increase positive team dynamics.
What's new?
The update to Preventing Workplace Harassment 13 shifts the focus from respect as a "concept" to "Respect as a Skill." It expands the curriculum to address modern workplace dynamics and specific identity-based challenges.
1. Structural & Efficiency Updates
Version 13 reduces the total volume of lessons while refining the introduction and core behavioral lessons.
- Curriculum Expansion: Version 13 features a more comprehensive structure with 32 specialized lessons (down from 34 in v12) that prioritize modern communication and identity.
- Concise Delivery: Core frameworks, such as The Workplace Color Spectrum®, have been tightened to ensure more impactful delivery.
- Time Management: Version 13 adds explicit learner timing, noting that lessons typically take 3–5 minutes each.
- Integrated Legal Context: Legal requirements are now more seamlessly woven into the course framework.
2. Enhanced Video Scenarios
The video content has moved toward more nuanced "Culture Skills" and practical decision-making tools.
- Philosophical Shift: The intro video moves from "We Are All Different" (v12) to "It’s About Culture Skills" (v13), framing respect as a professional competency.
- New Decision Tools: Introduces the "Complaint Decision Tree" video to help employees practically categorize behavior and determine resolution paths.
- Stronger Conclusion: A new "Almost There!" video provides a definitive call to action and summary of the training experience.
3. Content & Terminology Shifts
Version 13 introduces a wide array of new terminology related to modern social dynamics and workplace equity.
- "Culture Skills" Framework: Replaces general "Respect" terminology with "Culture Skills"—the practical ability to work productively across differences.
- New Identity & Equity Topics: Adds dedicated modules for Weight Stigma, Religion and Respect, Supporting Neurodiversity, and Generational Conflict.
- Modern Work Dynamics: New focus on Digital Communications for hybrid/remote teams and First Amendment Rights to navigate social/political friction.
- Behaviors Over Beliefs: A new core lesson, "Behaviors Over Beliefs," clarifies that while personal beliefs are private, professional behaviors are a requirement of the organization.
Training Recommendations:
California employers are permitted to train annually! Sponsors may train managers annually with a new 60 minute program each year, for a total of 120 minutes over 2 years. Sponsors may train employees annually with a new 30 minute program each year for a total of 60 minutes over 2 years.
We recommend training all employees and contractors on 60 minutes of content each year to keep them abreast of current issues and reinforce positive workforce behaviors.
Please note: Connecticut and Chicago require 2 hours of workplace harassment training. Chicago requires an additional hour of bystander training.
Emtrain’s version 13 of our Preventing Workplace Harassment course enables you to:
- Meet state-mandated training regulations.
- Use a shared language to enable feedback, common ground, and a tool to course-correct in real-time.
- Identify, measure, and manage the organizational and employee behaviors that lead to disrespect.
- Benchmark your workplace culture against others and leverage Emtrain’s content, data, and ecosystem of experts to help you improve your culture.
If you have an LMS-connected account, you can download the SCORM file for Preventing Workplace Harassment 13. For more information, please refer to the Preventing Workplace Harassment US (v13) content article for additional information.