The ‘new normal’ of virtual workplaces, remote working, or work from home, call for POSH 2.0 – revision of the prevention of sexual harassment mechanisms in organisations. Sexual Harassment can happen ‘virtually’ and the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act covers work from home under the ‘extended workplace’ definition. It is important to ensure that your organisation POSH mechanisms are work from home friendly. The digitization of work has not only changed the working style but has also changed the nature of what we know as workplace sexual harassment.

The Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) policy helps employees, consultants, partners, stakeholders understand the POSH mechanisms of the organization. With the shifting to virtual workplaces, it is essential to align the POSH policy with procedures on the filing of complaints online, revised interim reliefs, manner of conducting an enquiry, and much more.

The need of the hour is to invest in capacity building training sessions to sensitize and train Internal Committee members on the virtual working of the POSH Act. Questions such as what is the format for conducting online enquiries, recording of minutes, sharing of notices and summons with aggrieved person, respondent, witness, maintaining confidentiality, managing biases in online enquiries are a few pointers to keep in mind.

POSH training sessions for senior management of organizations are key to creating safe virtual workplaces. It is important to keep in mind that the POSH act applies across the board – for all individuals that we interact with i.e. customers, vendors, collaborators, suppliers, agents, and so on. Sensitisation and capacity building workshops for senior management are specially designed to sensitise on improving work from home culture, creating safe virtual workplaces.

Are you looking to understand the impact of COVID-19 and employees working from home on the POSH mechanisms of your organization?

Reach out to the SHLC team to schedule a 15-minute consultation to help you understand and analyse your POSH ‘work from home’ mechanisms.

Drop us an email on contact@shlc.in and we’ll help you make your workplace safer and POSH compliant.