Workspaces need to focus on staff safety, happiness

Sridhar Rangayan with his mother at the KelpHR POSH Awards 2023 event at Bandra. Pic/Sameer Markande

The Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act, officially known as the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 is an Indian law that is designed to protect women and all employees from sexual harassment at the workplace. The Act marks 10 years and this paper carried an extensive report about a company awarding their top 25 safe working spaces, across the country. The chief guest at the event, a top cop spoke about the power of encouragement, acknowledgement, awards and recognition. She claimed a lot has been done in the private sector when it came to prevention of sexual harassment.

A keynote speaker, film director and out gay man also spoke about the workspaces. He stated, even within all the inclusivity and diversity talk amongst corporates, a high number of employees are still closeted within organisations. They refuse to come ‘out' or do not feel safe doing so. Verbal harassment is prevalent and one has to remember that verbal that may be, yet, that too falls under the sexual harassment umbrella.

While there was a bright side to the milestone marker, it was also a reminder that more needs to be done for targets or victims to come forth and complain. There must also be an atmosphere which is conducive for an LGBT employee to come out. Looking at employing more LGBT persons, including them in every aspect of the company not just back end jobs.

Every speaker talked about safety's direct co-relation to employee happiness and with that, more productivity for the company. That is a huge shoutout to firstly, work on safety at every level and secondly, in case, harassment has occurred give employees the confidence to speak out for justice.