Impact of Sexual Harassment on the victim's Mindset.
Do organizations make an effort to understand the impact of Sexual Harassment on the victim's Mindset? Do they Empathize Not Sympathize with the victim? Or do they have a narcissist approach towards this?
If this is the case, then organizations are failing to gamut the damage this directly causes to their Brand Image, business & their reputation if the complaint escalates.
The hostility created in the victims Mind Set Due to Sexual Harassment leads to Low Morale, Stress, Low Self Confidence, anxiety, Low productivity etc.
They are also more likely to quit, which leads to higher levels of staff turnover. As a result of this Toxic Environment Other employees also find themselves vulnerable and choose to leave. Further damaging the organization's Brand Image & reputation by word of mouth. Read ahead…………….
Amrita was a young, energetic & go-getter Learning and Development Executive. She was a few months into this organization. Her Job was her Passion, She Loved to do what she did. She had a knack of lightening the rigid office work environment.
One-day Amrita was at the photocopier machine getting her Training Material ready for an upcoming Corporate Training, when she realized that Ashok was standing next to her again, Ashok had been time & again trying to get close to her. In a friendly manner and tone Amrita asked him.
“Arey Ashok tum baar baar mere peche peche kyun aate ho”? to her shock and disbelief Ashok replied “Tum Cheese he aisi ho ke baar baar peeche aane ko ji karta hai” Ashok was rather loud which meant that other office colleagues also heard the statement. Amrita felt very Humiliated and walked away.
Comments such as these started to increase, added with vulgar & obnoxious stares and gestures.
The once Energetic & Go Getter Amrita slowly started going into confinement & Seclusion.
When she approached the HR, she further got tagged as a trouble maker and colleagues started to keep way from her. HR ignored Amrita giving false assurances, as Ashok was a revenue maker and a close aid to the Boss. Amrita felt helpless, fearful & broken down.
In a few weeks Amrita decided to resign and she sent HR a mail regarding the reasons why?
Within a few more weeks Amrita’s other colleagues started feeling vulnerable and quit one after another, Amrita’s other colleagues who were the male gender also decided to quit as they missed her professionalism and felt for her emotions.
Amrita got a new job in another company wherein she asked her these colleagues to join her in her new team. This is where Amrita got introduced to POSH training as this company practiced a very ethical work culture.
Amrita felt empowered and decided to challenge her previous organization & Ashok. She filed a lawsuit within the timelines as per POSH guidelines, backed up by her friends as witnesses. Thanks to the POSH Act 2013 Trainings conducted in the new organization. After a few hearings, the verdict was ruled in Amrita's favor.
Situations could be multiple; organizations have to be emotionally Intelligent, genuinely concerned and take every step in making their workplace an ethical, Non-toxic and safe place to work kind of environment.
Change is Happening The POSH act is a Mandate by Law & repercussions to Non-Compliance are getting amended to more severe levels.
Speed up or Face, Disgrace in this race.