Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has become the new norm. Nearly one-third of employees work from home globally, even if only temporarily for some. While this shift has granted a lot of benefits to employees, there is one thing that has become more difficult to address. Unfortunately, sexual harassment still remains a serious issue even in remote work settings. Tackling it is essential for both employees and employers. This is because organizations still bear the responsibility to prevent sexual harassment. Luckily, the broad definition of sexual harassment in the workplace also covers remote work. In this blog, we discuss the various ways of preventing and addressing remote sexual harassment.
Examples of Sexual Harassment in Remote Work
According to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act (2013), the definition of a workplace includes “any place visited by the employee arising out of or during the course of employment.” This even includes transportation provided by the employer. Luckily, it also accounts for the fact that sexual harassment can occur digitally. This means organizations need proactive policies in place to address harassment risks. Here are some things that constitute examples of sexual harassment in remote work:
- Sending offensive images over email
- Making inappropriate comments during video calls
- Persistently flirting with colleagues via official messaging tools
Challenges of Maintaining PoSH Compliance
Handling sexual harassment in a remote workplace comes with several unique challenges. Here are some of the most common ones that you will observe:
Communication Challenges
Remote work setup makes it difficult to interpret non-verbal cues and tone. This is seldom the case in face-to-face interaction where you cannot miss subtle inappropriate behavior. Misunderstandings or misinterpretations are more likely. Potential workplace harassment issues might go unnoticed.
Similarly, because of the lack of non-verbal cues, some messages might be as misinterpreted harassment when in fact they were not. Both as an employee and employer, you should be mindful while analyzing the situation.
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Reporting Barriers
A significant percentage of individuals do not know how to report sexual harassment at work. Even if they know, they might hesitate to report such an experience. This could be due to various reasons. In a remote environment, this challenge is compounded even more. The common reasons are concerns over privacy and fear of retaliation. Employees may also be unsure about how effective virtual reporting channels are.
Monitoring and Oversight
Monitoring employee interactions is crucial for identifying and preventing harassment. But this is more difficult in a remote setting. Without physical presence, it is harder to detect signs of harassment. Employers must rely on careful monitoring of digital communication tools.
Lack of Evidence
Collecting evidence is important to build a strong sexual harassment case. While messages are clear evidence, unrecorded video meetings might make it difficult to prove you were harassed. You need to collect proof by saving offensive chat logs, emails, and screenshots of messages.
How to Mitigate Remote Sexual Harassment Risks
Despite these challenges, remote workplace harassment is easier to report because of the presence of evidence (well, most of the time) through chats and emails. Still, there are several steps employers can take to reduce the risk of sexual harassment in the first place. Even if they occur despite such steps, training can be implemented to reduce the occurrence. Here are a few strategies to mitigate remote sexual harassment risks.
Culture of Respect
Fostering a culture of respect, inclusion, and equality is key. This is the first step to prevent remote sexual harassment. Promote values such as diversity and mutual respect in all communications. Reinforce these principles through regular training. Make sure that respect and professionalism are at the forefront of your all work interactions.
Technology Solutions
Create secure communication platforms that protect employees from unwanted interactions. There should also be anonymous reporting systems in place. Fear of retaliation is the biggest reason why many employees are reluctant to report harassment. Hence, providing encrypted and confidential channels for reporting can encourage individuals to come forward without fear.
If you are looking for effective employee PoSH training in India that accurately conveys the risks and ways to address them, EducationNest can help you in your training efforts. Being India’s biggest corporate training provider, they offer comprehensive training solutions designed to hit the nail perfectly.
Regular Check-ins
Regularly check in with employees to foster open communication. Encourage employees to voice concerns in one-on-one settings. This can help identify potential issues early. Additionally, managers and HR should be trained to handle sensitive complaints with care and empathy. Offering mental health support can also help employees feel supported and safe.
Policy and Training
Start by updating your sexual harassment policies to include remote work environments. Consult with a legal expert to ensure your policies cover online interactions clearly. Then, provide comprehensive training for all employees to help them identify when they are harassed and how to address virtual harassment. This will help employees understand what constitutes inappropriate behavior and ensure they can handle potential issues swiftly.
Review and Adjust Your Policies
As remote work gets more complex, your company’s policies should also provide comprehensive cover. Periodically review and update your company’s sexual harassment policies. Make sure it reflects new technologies, platforms, and ways that employees are using to interact.
Conclusion
Addressing sexual harassment is easier said than done for remote employees. Even though you need clear policies on how to handle a complaint, the primary goal should still be to prevent it in the first place. This requires companies to follow a comprehensive approach. The first step is to learn about the challenges that will help you develop the right strategies. PoSH training should be conducted regularly to train new teams and retrain older ones. This is one step that cannot be missed.
If you are looking for such robust solutions for your team, EducationNest can help you design customized corporate training solutions for you. Their courses are led by experts to impart the latest knowledge and regulations to employees.
