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Check out Interweave's e-learning solution to recognise and prevent sexual harrassment at the workplace. "No Excuses" is a great cost-effective tool to create awareness among employees. Prevention is better than cure!

It's discreet, but is it adequate?

Do the Dominique Strauss-Kahn kind of incidents come to light in the Indian hospitality sector? A leading Indian magazine delicately probed the issue, in a recent article, to show how cases of sexual harassments by guests are becoming a greater concern for the industry. It also showed how often such cases are handled with ‘discretion’ to ensure there’s no harm to the hotel’s, staff’s, or individual guest’s reputation.

Let’s move away from the hospitality sector and broaden our canvas to include all organisations across sectors. While many organisations treat cases of sexual harassment with discretion, what is often missing is an official mechanism to see the process through.

The Supreme Court of India has set out guidelines for all organisations to follow when dealing with cases of sexual harassment. This includes having a complaints committee to prevent and look into such matters. Here are some of our recommendations, based on the Supreme Court guidelines, for the Internal Complaints Committee.

Ø  The Internal Complaints Committee should consist of 5 to 7 members.

Ø  The Committee should be headed by a woman employee, who shall be its Chairperson.

Ø  There should be at least one person selected from an external group, like an NGO that works towards interests of women.

In our experience, we have observed that...

·      Most employees are unsure about what sexual harassment is and how it can be addressed.

·      Often employers themselves are ignorant and do not have established policies to deal with the matter.

·      Stigmas, fear of tarnishing the company’s or one’s personal reputation, and lack of a suitable support system prevent people from voicing out.

However, sensitisation programmes and educative attempts are helping to highlight the damage caused by such issues. Employers are becoming more sensitive to the matter and employees are becoming more conscious how to contribute to creating a respectful workplace. We see an enormous interest from organisations asking us to conduct workshops and help them define the necessary sexual harassment policies. And it’s even better when an organisation that has already taken the first steps, decides to go a step further by conducting more sessions for further batches of their employees. Clearly, they have seen merit in educating their employees and  creating a wholesome work atmosphere.

What steps has your organisation taken in this direction? Write in and tell us. 

Respectful Workplace with Gender Diversity

We are happy to share pictures of a session conducted by us for the government sector in Chandigarh. We were invited to participate in a seminar on ‘Respectful Workplace with Gender Diversity’. Our CEO, Nirmala Menon participated in the event, touching upon the challenges that face diversity and inclusion in India.

Interweave used interesting tools to highlight some of the inherent stereotypes and prejudices that exist within all of us and how these can impact performance and productivity at the workplace. Underlining the need to bring greater diversity to the workplace, we drew the attention of participants on the need to consciously nurture a respectful workplace.

The event provided an interesting platform to discuss some of the most challenging issues around gender inclusion at work. Several senior representatives from the Civil Services, Police and Income Tax were present at the event.  

"Recognising & Preventing Sexual Harassment at Work" - NASSCOM & Interweave's Workshop - 20th May, Gurgaon

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"Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Times have changed. Laws have changed. But have things really changed for the LGBT groups in workplaces? Are we managing their unique needs and challenges well at our workplaces? Share your thoughts or experiences with us.

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E-learning on Preventing & Recognising Sexual Harassment at Work

Here is a preview of our e-learning module on preventing and recognising sexual harassment at work. Its a great tool to reach out and educate individual contributors in your organisation.
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Interweave In the News! Speak up, Woman!

How do women make themselves heard and expand their ‘space’ in the corporate world

Women often assume that their work will speak for itself. It won’t. You have to go beyond documenting your results; make sure your boss and others are aware of your individual contribution. To achieve your goals you must know how to motivate yourself. Nirmala Menon, founder and CEO, Interweave Consulting Pvt Ltd, gives tips on how to get noticed and push your limits at the workplace.

1, When a colleague questions your leadership ability....

 » Take a deep breath and calm down. Don’t react.
 » Paraphrase the other person’s query in your own words. Take more time to think of a response.
 » Asking questions is a good way of a comeback. For instance, ask questions like: “Are you suggesting that I am not capable of doing this?” “Why wasn’t this raised earlier?” “Do you have data to support your suggestion?” or “Who have you consulted about this?”
 » Use facts/data to defend and support your position.
 » Seek cooperation – don’t be afraid to ask a team member, senior managers or organisers for support with their thoughts/data.

2. When your senior colleague takes all the credit for a project ignoring your contributions...
» Describe the behaviour or event without any judgments or assumptions about intent.
» Express feelings or explain the impact the person’s actions had on you.
» Specify what you want the person to do in the future. Start by saying: “When you…(describe the person’s behaviour), I feel…(state your emotion) and I would like…(state alternative behaviour).”
 » If it is post the event, you can also request your senior to send you a note of acknowledgement for your contributions with copies marked to the manager and other key stakeholders.

3 Good performance alone is not enough to get you rewards. You need to be known and seen by people who matter so you can develop a wide range of skills that will make you an effective manager.
» The first challenge is to ensure that the ‘powers-that-be’ know about you.
» You must get involved in teams/projects outside your job.
» Eat in the cafeteria and go to events that senior managers are likely to attend.
» One must speak up in meetings to get noticed.
» Participate in events/committees that interest you and hold volunteer positions in them.
» You can also expand your reach and network through social media — Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.

4. You feel sidelined because of your lack in language skills...
» It’s strategic to develop a skill set that’s valuable for the company and more in line with what your end goals are. To succeed, you need to raise your hand to new opportunities. There may be a risk factor involved but assess the risk rationally by evaluating:
» What is the worst that can happen?
» If this did happen, could I live with the outcome?
» Don’t wait to be inspired; Get inspired. By taking initiative you’ll gain skills and learn more about your company and the market it serves. It will also help to be less bored at work because you won’t be stuck in the same old routine.

5 A senior colleague gives you unwanted attention and you feel uncomfortable and agitated but don’t want to be rude to an elderly and popular person in office.
» A person doesn’t have to touch you to sexually harass you. A proposition need not be direct and can be as insidious as a remark or a joke. One should express strong resistance the first time it occurs. Firmly, clearly and directly, tell the harasser to STOP. If not, the offender will be encouraged to continue. If uncomfortable doing so, report the matter and use the resolution process in the organisation so the problem is properly handled.
» Do not ignore or deny if you see offensive behaviour.

Your complaint is important. It could happen to other people. Maintain self respect at all times

Source: Bangalore Mirror dated 2nd April - http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/74/2011040120110401201102704739b66d2/Speak-up-woman.html

Making Workplaces Work for Women!

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Share your thoughts on how to make workplaces work for women.

A Case Of A Conversation: handling sexual harassment

A boss or a colleague doesn’t have to touch you to sexually harass you. Many women can attest to feeling uncomfortable with little or no physical contact. A proposition need not always be outright: it can be as insidious as remark or a joke. All this and more were discussed in the recent conversations Interweave conducted at a professional financial services firm in Bangalore last week.

Take an example of two colleagues travelling in a car. The male makes a reference to a recently released movie that explores the relationship between an older man and younger woman, attempting to gauge his female colleague’s reaction to a similar proposition. The woman feels uncomfortable and agitated and lodges a complaint with the HR.

Verbal sexual harassments of such kind are common, and can affect the work atmosphere. If ignored, it can lead to repeated situations of harassment, the consequences of which may become difficult for the company to bear. This kind of behaviour, therefore, must be nipped in the bud.

The case is a lesson for teams at large that colleagues and employees should not indulge in conversations which can be perceived wrongly. The concern is how the context is perceived, not what is implied.

Once it has been perceived wrongly, not only does it mean malicious spreading of rumours that tarnish the company and employee’s reputation, but it also spreads ill will and makes it progressively difficult to work in the environment – eventually leading to attrition. Before the harasser takes such a situation forward, the so-called victim should nip it in the bud.

The best method is to understand what your rights are, what is inappropriate work behaviour. With this knowledge, you can be more confident of the decisions you make concerning the situation. In the above mentioned scenario, it would be ideal for the woman to have said such conversations make her uneasy or that she wants to keep her comments to herself, while making other polite conversations.

More and more companies are trying to address such unwanted situations at work by equipping employees with techniques to prevent and handle possible harassment. Not only does this gear your workforce for higher productivity but it also protects the firm from any resulting legal tangles. Sessions like these can certainly help employees understand that it’s not always necessary to escalate issues or make complaints: sometimes the employees themselves can handle such inter-personal cases appropriately and douse a spark that could later have flared into something bigger.

What are your views? Mail us on the cases you may have come across.