Making The Workplace Better for Women Through HR

The issue of women’s welfare is no longer just a social sensitivity that is merely talked about. Governments have instituted several initiatives in making women’s safety a mandate and brought about regulations that ensure women are taken care of through HR compliance.

Through the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, better known to most as POSH, there are clearly defined guidelines which translate into not just a policy of complete intolerance toward sexual harassment of any kind at the workplace, but also comes down more heavily with fines and even the revoking of business licences.

The main onus of women’s safety at the workplace, in this Act, rests with the employer, who has been defined as one who controls management and supervision at the workplace. Management includes a committee, internal office, board of directors or even an individual who is responsible for administering internal policies. Guidelines to the formation of this Committee have also been laid down very clearly in this Act.

There are several instruments that have been put in place through this Act to try and ensure women are safeguarded at work. Apart from the Committee, these also include sensitizing women and male co-workers through awareness and workshops, ease of redressal of cases, submission of Annual Reports documenting details of registered complaints and their status, and punishment for non-compliance.

With the Act coming into effect in 2013, it has since been 4 years. The intent and coverage of the Act have been unquestionable. However, we still do not have tangible statistics to help show us just how effective the Act has been, or to help us understand how far employers have complied with POSH.

Several cases have been eye openers for everyone, and also stand testimony to the fact that POSH has been a significant step in HR Compliance. However, we cannot lose sight of the fact that there are still practical concerns faced by employers which suggest that this Act works well in theory but still lacks somewhere. Given the nature of the issue addressed, it can only be said that in such issues laws can only be instruments that can guide, but they can only be truly successful when individuals begin to take responsibility toward recognizing and respecting the dignity and equality of women at the workplace. It is then that everyone will enjoy the privileges they deserve.