Beyond Workshops: Creative Ways to Raise Awareness on Workplace Sexual Harassment Prevention

With the Vishaka Guidelines being implemented, we need to have a set policy and procedure related to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace. My question for seniors is, how does one create awareness about this topic?

Exploring Alternatives to Traditional Methods

Something "APART" from organizing a training/sensitization workshop or simply sharing the info about this legislation or displaying info on notice boards! No! Is there any other way? Any PPTs or creative and informative ways of disseminating this info among employees? Any videos or puzzles? I don't know... anything but the usual?

Please share how you are increasing awareness about it at your workplaces. Generously share if you have inputs or info! 

Thanks,

Vineeta

Creating awareness and writing the policy is the easy part. You need people who have the intent to prevent sexual harassment at the workplace. That's the difficult part.

Warm regards,
Ajay Chaudhari

I do understand your point. That's exactly why I have asked this query, as to how I can involve the staff by sensitizing them in a creative manner (apart from workshops and interactive discussions). If you happen to have any PPTs or a nice write-up on this, then it would be awesome! Thanks for replying!

Regards,

This is a normal experience with any information for staff consumption that circulates—it will be read and forgotten. Teach it—they will remember but may not understand it. Involve them—they will understand and follow what they understand.

Looking at your enthusiasm to try something novel to educate staff on the subject, may I suggest you think of enacting a play of an hour's duration with all required characters and organize a video show of it for your staff in your meeting hall/board room? As is widely experienced with movies, TV shows, or cricket, which make people discuss the various characters and aspects of the show animatedly even after days of viewing them, people tend to get involved with the story, and this leaves a better cognitive effect on the staff.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
In-house HR & IR Advisor

One may create a special team that will address such issues. The team may consist of both men and women. Care should be taken to ensure that unbiased decision-makers are available.

Purpose of the Team

The purpose is to ensure safety and awareness; hence, a proactive approach is required rather than a reactive one. An email can be created for those who wish to alert the HR team if any employee faces this problem and to delicately tackle this issue.

Importance of Communication in Policy Implementation

The opening of the communication can include general information like the values of the company and so on. However, towards the end, reference must be made to the penal provisions under the Act. The Act mentions that every organization must have its policy, and it should be widely circulated. The Act has recognized the prevention of covert/overt sexual advancements towards visiting females in all-male organizations as well. Hence, besides other means of awareness, circulating the policy and highlighting penal provisions will act as a deterrent for such acts, it is felt.

Please read The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013, and the rules published later to formulate a policy. I can guide you through the same in its entirety.

Regards,
Shrikant Prabhudesai
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Creating a Safe Work Environment for Women

The POSHAWW Act has imposed an obligation on the employer to create a work environment for women that is free from workplace sexual harassment. This includes sensitizing the employees through organizing workshops and awareness programs for all employees, both direct and indirect.

The penal provisions of the Act should be displayed prominently, along with the Sexual Harassment policy circulated to all. The list of ICC members with their phone numbers should also be displayed, and there should be a single point of contact in each department for handling such grievances.

Thank you.