Display Sexual Harassment Notices at Workplace; Sufficient or Bare Minimum?

Companies are now required to prominently display notices about sexual harassment in workplaces, following the recent amendments to the Employment Act 1955 as per section 81H. The purpose of the notice is to ensure that workers know their rights about how to address and report harassment issues within the workplace.

But is displaying a notice really enough to solve this problem? Let’s think about a real-life example.

Imagine when you’re on the airplane and see the safety instructions notice placed in front of you. Do you pay attention to them? Don’t we ignore or overlook these notices unless there's an emergency or an immediate need?

This doesn’t mean that notices aren’t considered a valuable method to raise awareness. Contrary to that, notices are an effective way to create awareness but based on the above examples, simply displaying these notices might not be enough.  It must be complemented with active efforts to ensure people engage with the information in the notice. Just like in the given example, we only notice the safety instructions on the airplane when the air hostess demonstrates the safety instructions as per the notice.

So, what can be done to make the notices effective?

a)    To make notices about sexual harassment effective, companies should complement them with active efforts like training sessions, workshops, and regular discussions. These initiatives educate employees on what amounts to harassment, what are unaccepted behaviours, employees’ rights, and how to address these types of issues. Workshops and regular discussions help to create a more interactive understanding of appropriate workplace behaviour and keep everyone reminded of the policies and notices in place.

b)    Clear, accessible policies that cover all forms of harassment are important to reinforce the message of the notices. When policies are easy to follow, they complement the awareness created by the notices, making it easier for employees to speak up and for companies to address issues effectively.

c)   Alongside the notices, there should also be transparent, multiple, and confidential reporting mechanisms. While notices raise awareness, employees are more likely to report harassment if they trust the system and do not fear retaliation. Companies should create a straightforward process for reporting incidents, making sure employees are aware of the process and whistleblowers are protected.

d)     Another active effort that companies should carry out is having feedback sessions and anonymous surveys to help ensure that the awareness created by notices translates into real action. An added advantage of this survey is that companies can identify unreported incidents or subtle forms of harassment that might not be captured through formal complaints.

Only with these proactive efforts, the displayed notices would be truly effective.

24 October 2024

WRITTEN BY LEENALOCHANA

Find Leenalochana at: www.linkedin.com/in/leena39/