How To Ensure a POSH-compliant Company? These 6 Practices Can Help

Creating a dignified and safe workplace not only falls on the compliance back of rules but is a business imperative for the contemporary changing workplace. Arriving in 2025, the need to change workplaces from check-boxes to an obligation-based, equitable, and respectful model has made the POSH Act more relevant, says Ms Shruti Swaroop, founder of professional coaching firm Embrace Consulting and co-founder of International Inclusion Alliance.

6 Practices To Ensure a POSH-compliant Company

Ms Shruti Swaroop adds that the POSH Act of 2013 was the first to define and deal with sexual harassment in the workplace. Employers now work hard to create awareness and sensitivity at al levels and adopt measures such as Internal Committees (ICs), as their applicability and scope have increased with time. She lists 6 practices through which companies can ensure strong POSH compliance:

1) Promote Awareness through Continuous Learning

Year-round models of interaction- e-modules, scenario studies, and interactive workshops- must be provided so that there is an ongoing awareness for everyone in the company about appropriate behaviour, boundaries, and complaint redressals.

2) Increase Efficiency of Internal Committee (IC)

Frequent training is needed to facilitate the members of the IC to solve issues in a diplomatic, neutral, and legal manner. The system may be trusted by being open throughout the investigative process, through the deployment of independent experts, and through the facilitation of broad representation.

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3) Shift Gender Status

It is essential to recognize harassment both ways. A comprehensive POSH policy needs to be sensitive to LGBTQIA+ workers, contractors, interns, and gig workers, providing space for intersectional discussion on safety and inclusion.

4) Embed POSH in Work Culture

Leaders need to lead by example and set good workplace behavior. By integrating POSH learning in leadership training, performance appraisal, and induction, responsibility culture is embedded and zero tolerance is conveyed.

5) Making Accessibility Easy

Use technology platforms to conduct anonymous feedback questionnaires, monitor awareness sessions, and enable rapid reporting. Policies and reporting procedures should be easily available in work-from-home environments.

6) Enable Safety in the Mind

Not getting into trouble is half of being POSH-compliant; the other half is that all employees feel valued, heard, and seen. Encourage open conversation, address microaggressions, and enable bystanders.

"Safe and healthy work environment needs to be ensured repeatedly, not necessarily once. As social standards change and sensitization of workers improves, companies have to stay adaptive while creating POSH. Not only should companies stay compliant, but also set the standard of justice and faith by inculcating security, respect, and empathy in the very mindset of the work environment," wraps up Ms Shruti Swaroop.

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