In today's workplaces, industries mentioning some : Say, IT, BPO, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, educational institutions, entertainment and shipping are becoming more diverse and multigenerational. With the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, organizations have a legal responsibility to ensure a safe and respectful environment for everyone. However, as these industries host both white- and blue-collar workers, the implementation of POSH policies faces unique challenges.
- Awareness Gaps: Some observations and trends noticed through engaging in conversations and listening to inputs from varied sources, the following are some trends , that can be seen. In many manufacturing environments, there can be varying levels of awareness regarding POSH policies, the reasons could be because of workforce that come from Contract. A good percentage of say women could be first woman worker in a factory. While this may be obvious, one must also notice more members of the Gen Boomers are Value adding to Organizations with their specific skills. Such workforce, while may be acclimatized to handling aspects of work in home or specific areas of expertise, they may need to be guided with respect to say engaging with coworkers, whom to connect with in case of specific challenges etc. One specific demarcation observed is that, in case of a discomfort experienced, a gent goes and complains to the respective department, while a woman may choose to share with her family or friend. Attention needs to be brought to what to do , whom to contact at workplace. Specific to Countries, where larger section of population is coming out to work for the first time. which highlights the need for industry-specific training and initiatives. In sectors like manufacturing, blue-collar workers may have less familiarity with POSH policies, while IT and BPO employees are more likely to receive formal HR training.
- Prevention Strategies: Healthcare and hospitality industries often involve high levels of interpersonal interaction, creating nuanced power dynamics that can complicate harassment prevention. Meanwhile, some workforce like the gig Economy ,manufacturing may still lag in proactive efforts due to various reasons, in the case of gig economy- workers may be visiting unfamiliar places due to the nature of their job. While in the Manufacturing new product line handling, traditional gender roles are some examples seen.
- Redressal Mechanisms: Though a lot of thrust is given by spreading awareness of the redressal mechanism, still a lot more work needs to be done. Charity begins at home is a line familiar to many, similarly, the ability to recognize and address inappropriateness behaviors should be inculcated within a family / Orphanages' / Hostels etc. Instead of just putting fear of shame or loss of family's name, it might help just sharing that it is about self protection. Some observations, that can be shared here are: say education and entertainment, women may face specific challenges in reporting harassment, influenced by both cultural factors and fears of career repercussions. Sometimes in Educational Institutions, the student may not even understand something is inappropriate. It is good that among emerging trends, a good percentage of Parents, educators and social workers are educating children about Good touch-Bad touch. This helps the community awareness and this helps in building respectful workplaces. Accessible reporting systems are crucial across Institutions & industries. ,
- Internal Committee (IC) Bias: Multigenerational workforces need committees that can handle cross-generational and cultural differences. For example, in shipping or IT, younger employees may face different workplace challenges than older or more senior colleagues.
A Way Forward: Tailored training, increased awareness, and sensitivity to generational and cultural differences are crucial to strengthening POSH across industries.
What’s the biggest challenge your organization / Institutions faces in implementing POSH policies?
- Awareness Gaps
- Fear of Reporting
- Power Dynamics
- Cultural Sensitivity
- Others if so, then please share
I’d love to hear your insights! Feel free to connect or share your experiences in the comments, or reach out to me at [email protected] Sharing this Post, in the fond hope to Building Respectful Workplaces and the sincere hope to create Safe Environment
