Young-Career Professionals: Beyond PoSH Compliance — Building Safe, Respectful Workplaces

Reporting Trends: Exploring Data Insights from India

An Economic Times article focused on corporate disclosures shares an approximate 6.2% significant rise of sexual harassment cases in FY25 at India’s largest companies. This aligns with an earlier reporting of sexual harassment cases at Forbes India, 1,313 in FY22 to 2,777 in FY24 among listed firms. It indicates a broader trend of awareness, willingness to call out and intervene, and trust in formal PoSH systems, frameworks, and internal committee mechanisms.

Seen among employees irrespective of work experience — including young career professionals, it highlights disrupting of the preconceived notion of accepting sexual harassment nuances at work — “just go with it and seems harmles enough” attitude. Belief and trust in organisational sexual harassment redressal mechanisms have been observed, along with a sharp increase of unresolved complaints. 174 in FY22 to 455 in FY24, a three times rise in workplace case backlogs (Economic Times), suggests a distinct gap between legal compliance and organisational responsiveness.

It indicates that there is a rise in reporting confidence while organisations are simultaneously improving systems and culture.

Compliance and Organisational Culture in India: Trends Today

As per India’s Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (PoSH Act), statutory obligations include that:

Organisations with 10 or more employees must:

1. Establish an IC (Internal Committee) with a legally prescribed structure: The purpose of IC is to act as a redressal framework to address and resolve complaints. The composition of the IC must include a presiding officer (senior women employee), at least 2 internal members (committed to the cause for women/experienced in social work/legal knowledge) and an external member (experienced in social work or women’s rights). For employees, this means an identified and specific set of people to whom concerns can be reported.
2. Conduct PoSH awareness and IC (internal committee) training programmes: The organisation must educate employees on sexual harassment nuances, redressal IC mechanisms as per the PoSH Act, and respectful workplace behaviour norms. Organisations now focus beyond a one time onboarding PoSH session for employees. Many consider regular and interactive awareness sessions for both employees, managers, and IC members as a best practice.
3. Maintain confidentiality and ensure non-retaliation at work: As per the PoSH Act, details of the investigation including the complainant, respondent, and witnesses are to be kept confidential. The objective is to protect and prevent malicious gossip and ensure non-retaliation. Breaching confidentiality is itself a violation against the PoSH Act underscoring the importance of privacy within the PoSH redressal framework.
4. Filing of PoSH Annual Compliance Reports: Through filing of PoSH annual reports, organisational transparency and accountability is monitored at an organisational level. The information in the annual reports include the number of complaints received, pending, and closed as part of PoSH related activities documentation.

As a young career professional, perhaps one could be wondering about the initial performance review, networking on social media, or advancement.

Yet, there is something more important: your right to safety and dignity at work.

Creating Respectful Workplaces: Beyond Legal Perspectives

On joining an organisation, PoSH related organisational efforts must seem apparent, accessible and actively reinforced.

Reasonable expectations must include:

1. A clearly circulated PoSH policy: Easy to find on internal portals or HR platforms, the PoSH policy must outline what sexual harassment is, how to raise concerns and the process taken to handle complaints. This means that the PoSH policy must be considered as more than a document uploaded during onboarding.
2. Accessible IC contact details: Under the PoSH Act, every organisation is responsible for forming an internal committee. Know who the members are and how to reach them. The IC contact details are often displayed on notice boards, intranet pages or shared in induction sessions.
3. Regular awareness sessions: More than a one time checkbox, periodic training or refresher sessions, assist employees in understanding personal boundaries, inappropriate workplace behaviour, and how to seek support. These PoSH sessions create space for deeper discussions revolving around norms and respectful behaviour at work.
4. Transparent investigation processes: Be clear on the investigation process if concerns are raised: timelines, confidentiality safeguards, inquiry, and outcomes. Transparency leads to trust. It can mean that employees advocate for workplace practices as progress occurs.

In short, respectful workplaces are built on:

1. Clear boundaries
2. Professional communication
3. Accountability across levels
4. Psychological safety
5. Leadership modelling

Prevention matters more than punitive measures.

Role in Creating Safer Workplaces: Young Career Professionals

Remember that workplace safety goes beyond IC responsibility and the onus lies on the organisation as a whole. As a young career professional, your role can focus on the below:

1. Intervening when something feels uncomfortable
2. Saying ‘NO’ to misconduct
3. Avoiding inappropriate dismissive behaviour or jokes
4. Role-modeling respectful communication
5. Respecting Individuals As Themselves

Systems and processes strengthen when young professionals engage. And, thus PoSH awareness goes beyond legal literacy towards professional maturity. Because safe workplaces are built by cultures that stand for respect and dignity.

By Sandra Sebastian, Interweave Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

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