When Independent MP Mark Latham suggested in a radio interview today that “everyone” sexts at work, he quickly normalized the behavior.
Sexting is the act of sending or receiving sexually explicit messages or images, often through phones or social media.
“If I’m the only person in Australia who, in a work environment, engaged in a bit of playful sex talk with their partner, then I’ll buy everyone a lottery ticket tomorrow,’’ the former Labor leader said.
His comments come off the back of a sexting scandal involving the politician, where he confirmed he sexted his former partner while in parliament.
But how common is this behavior, really?
“We don’t have research to support the statement that sexting among Australian adults in professional workplaces is widespread, but given that policies and legislation exist surrounding sexual conduct at work, this would seem to be an unlikely common activity,” Professor Asher Flynn, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Monash University, told news.com.au.
However, there is research on technology-facilitated sexual harassment in the workplace, where unwelcome and/or threatening behaviors such as sexual advances, comments, jokes sent via message, or sexually explicit communications are made in a workplace setting.
It is not suggested that Latham’s sexts were nonconsensual.
Professor Flynn notes that nonconsensual sexual messages are a huge issue in the Australian workplace.
Professor Flynn’s 2024 study of workplace sexual harassment found that 26 percent of over 3300 respondents (Australian adults who have worked in the past five years) reported they had perpetrated sexual harassment at work, such as sending unwanted sexually suggestive comments or jokes via SMS or email.
With recent changes to Australian law, the importance of maintaining workplace appropriateness has become even more crucial.
Employers now have a legal obligation to actively prevent and eliminate sexual harassment, and the Australian Human Rights Commission has gained increased authority to investigate and enforce compliance.
As part of this, Professor Flynn says we should see clear communication, policies, consequences, and definitions of appropriate and inappropriate workplace behavior, including through digital technologies, and all employees will be subject to these measures.
“That means even if people are consensually sexting each other within their professional/workplace context and using workplace communications for this purpose (e.g. workplace emails, work phones, Teams chats), then this is likely to fall under similar responses,” she said.
“It makes it quite difficult for workplaces to create a culture that recognises the harms of workplace technology-facilitated sexual harassment, if the employee culture supports behaviors that may be seen as condoning or normalizing sexual interactions and behaviors at work.”
She emphasized that a respectful, inclusive culture cannot thrive in environments that tolerate or quietly encourage private sexting during the workday.
For employees who think sending a risqué text between meetings is harmless fun, she suggests it’s worth considering the potential ripple effect it could have on colleagues.
For employers, Professor Flynn emphasizes the importance of clear workplace policies that outline appropriate behaviors.
While there might not be any hard research as of yet about the prevalence of sexting in the workplace, a quick poll of my social media following paints a staggering picture – and one that somewhat supports Latham’s claims.
When asked ‘Have you sexted at work?’, 66 percent of the 100 respondents answered ‘yes’, while 25 percent answered ‘no.’
Meanwhile, 9 percent answered: ‘Only while working from home’.
Clearly, for many Aussies, a bit of digital flirtation during office hours isn’t off the cards.
Relationship and intimacy coach Susie Kim says she understands why couples engage in sexting and even supports it – but warns it can quickly turn unprofessional when done in the workplace.
“Sexting can be a really easy way to maintain erotic connection, build anticipation, and throw a few sticks on the fire, so to speak,” she explained. “It can keep the oven burning when you’re apart, and doing it in ‘taboo’ locations can add to the excitement.
“You’re in a different setting, which can build up more tension.”
However, she warns that if you get carried away – which can easily happen in the heat of passion – you might unintentionally cross a professional boundary.
“To maintain professionalism, I think the biggest no-no is obviously sending explicit photos or texts on a work computer or a work phone,” she points out.
“Also, save the spicier sexts for your coffee or lunch break, so it doesn’t interfere with your focus or judgment at work.”
