2020 brought many changes in all our lives. Working from home became the new normal, but as dynamic employees, we slowly eased into it by transforming our homes into offices. Two years after the pandemic’s onslaught, many continue the trend to work from the comfort and chaos of our home environments. The pandemic has showcased that working from home is a high priority for many employees than going to physical office spaces, more important than money for some.

In a Logitech survey, 42% of Australian workers preferred working from home over a pay rise. 64% said this also saved travel time to their workplaces, and they figured a better work-life balance. The cheer of the decrease of Covid cases globally is marginally shadowed by the small doubt and discomfort about going back to the office and working with large teams at the workplace. Employees need not lose sleep over this transition from their ‘zoom-to-bedroom’ workday to the brick-and-mortar workplace.

Soft skills and emotional intelligence are more pertinent now than ever in an enterprise, and there are workshops and programs to assist employees on this front. Organizations are gearing up to welcome their employees into offices with various Employee Assistance Programs in the workplaces.

Is there anything employees can do for a smooth transition to their workplaces? Yes, there are! Here is a list of easy-to-do things that would lessen their anxiety and help create a new normal for a healthy workplace.

• Communication is the key to overcoming the challenge of transition of workplaces effectively. Employees must share their concerns and fears with their Manager or colleagues for assistance. Voicing concerns reduces trepidation about the return to the workplace. Employees should ask the employers to resolve their queries about the office or cubicle assignment, breaks, asset sharing, parking, safety measures, etc. This would help them set their expectations straight. Employees must know that not everyone in the office will choose to be vaccinated and accept that. Finding out their office’s safety measures and employee assistance programs and giving themselves time to adjust through the guidance of these programs helps the transition. Communicating with the employer by openly seeking assistance is essential to building confidence and assuring employee comfort in the workplace. Employees must allow time to re-introduce themselves to the workplace and the new office hours.

• Employees must give themselves the time to get back into the grind that was once familiar to them. They must learn to be kind to other employees, as many may face the same or similar challenges, and respect their co-workers’ needs in the office. Not everyone may be delighted to be back in the workplace. Some employees may feel disconnected from their colleagues or have difficulty balancing responsibilities. Every employee must proactively acknowledge that their colleagues might be facing challenges in the workplace and genuinely ask them how they are feeling. “You seem stressed. Is everything okay?” is a kind way to ask, and if anything seems off, guide their colleagues towards employee assistance programs. A little support and recognition go a long way toward building mutual empathy and creating a healthy work environment in the workplace.

• Employees are bound to create practices to suit their needs. Their routine might have slipped in the lockdown as they were not expected to beat the rush hour traffic. Commute can be a stressful factor. Setting an earlier alarm and following the same schedule even on days they work from home helps add consistency and aligns their thoughts and actions towards returning to the workplace.

• Working with other employees would be a big part of the new routine. Employees may start by socialising with someone they usually work with or bond through voluntary programs at the workplace. This will encourage employees to ease into other aspects of their everyday routine. This process would be different for everyone; Employees may consider introducing a morning meditation to calm their minds of any anxieties. Listening to favourite tunes/podcasts and eating a fulfilling breakfast lets employees start the day the right way.

• Employees should learn to prioritise and set realistic expectations by being intentional of their time and energy. A return to the office may entail many meetings, networking events, and water cooler gatherings that initially seem jarring. To save themselves from the exhaustion of participating and being present everywhere, they must choose the activities, programs, and people they want to collaborate with. Accepting that stretching themselves thin would lead to quick burnout and helps employees ramp up their productivity game.

• Having worked from home for two years, employees have cultivated many innovative and productive ways of working. And they must carry some of these actionable ways into their workplaces. Many employees may have realized that working for 30 minutes and taking a 5-minute break boosted their energy levels. Or discovered that they work better in the mornings. Or even the periodic assessments through their employee assistance programs were beneficial. Transitioning these learnings into an office environment is the perfect place to start.

No matter their work-from-home workaround, every employee must have a conversation with a Manager to enable a smooth and productive transition. The reality may be that returning to a pre-pandemic way of working and workplaces isn’t the ideal setup for success. They must handle any stressful and challenging situation by exhibiting empathy and allyship so that the other parties tune their behaviour and attitude.

Are you an employee who is unsure how your employer can support your return to the office? Start the conversation now!

To know more about our Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D,E&I) and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) solutions do write to us at connect@cecureus.com or call us at +91-7200500221.

Covid-19 has pushed most of our day-to-day work-related interactions from physical locations into screens. Most organizations train their employees on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the workplace through training programs. This has become a priority of late. With video conferencing and online interactions making most work hours, employees need to be trained on e-etiquettes and norms for the prevention of any form of harassment to maintain strictly professional and ethical interactions with colleagues and avoid any unfortunate incidents.

We know that certain behaviours construe harassment in an office. Similarly, specific online behaviours also fall into the same category. It is essential to understand how to behave and how not to, during video conferences, over phone calls, and through instant messaging, to prevent sexual harassment to colleagues and friends.

The etiquette norms for online behaviour are somewhat different from the behavioural norms to be followed when there is physical proximity. It is crucial to know these norms so that we do not accidentally make a colleague feel uncomfortable. This helps us take necessary action when required and aid in the Prevention of Sexual Harassment even when interactions are happening online.

Here is a relatable, example-based E-etiquette guide in the context of online sexual harassment while working. In-depth knowledge of these would help employees in the prevention of uncomfortable encounters while at work.

There are five major areas where one needs to be sensitized to sexual harassment norms and maintain good etiquette.

Compliments

Compliments are an excellent way to build a rapport, start a conversation, and lift a person’s mood when the chances of having a healthy relationship with your co-workers are reduced to a great extent through remote working. However, some compliments are considered harassment.

Some examples to avoid are,

• “Damn! You look so hot even over a blurry video.”
• “Your partner is lucky to be able to spend the lockdown with you in bed. I wish I could too!”
• “I want to do something sexual with you once work-from-home ends.”
• “Your <insert body part> looks great on camera.”
• “Your presentation was really sexy as you are!”
• “You look hot in that jacket today!”

Instead of such vulgar compliments, you can try respectful ones like

• “You look great/fabulous/stunning.”
• “You have a warm smile.”

These convey your compliments in a more dignified manner, thereby contributing to the prevention of harassment.

Video-calls

Behaving sexually over a video call, either by dressing skimpily or performing sexual activities during a video call, are strict No and are considered harassment. Video requests made for one’s sexual pleasure at the cost of a colleague feeling uncomfortable also is sexual harassment. Some questions to avoid are,

• “Can you tilt the camera so that I can see your body/figure?”
• “Can you show me what you are wearing beneath your shirt?”
• “Can you show me your legs/other body parts?”
• “Can you watch me perform a sexual activity?”

Images

One must ensure that photographs of colleagues are not misused in a way that will make them feel awkward. Examples of such sexual harassment behaviours include,

• Asking for images of a colleague that are provocative.
• Taking screenshots without asking for prior permission.
• Editing a colleague’s photo or adding a caption in a way that focuses on something sexual.
• Sharing pictures of your co-worker(s) in an obviously sexual website or other virtual space.
• Sharing your own sexual images.
• Sharing photographs of celebrities or others wearing skimpy clothes or in a compromising position.

Questions

Asking highly personal or intrusive questions over text, videos, or phone calls is also a way of sexual harassment. Some examples include,

• “Is this what you usually wear at home? What do you wear when you are alone/when you sleep?”
• “You sound grumpy. Is your partner not satisfying you in bed?”
• “Your eyes are swollen. Did your partner not let you sleep last night?”
• “You seem to be working late all night making presentations. Are you even planning to make some babies?”

If you are genuinely concerned about a colleague’s well-being, you can ask,

“You seem to be mood-out. Is there something bothering you?”

Small talk

While small talk is a norm and even healthy for colleagues to interact better, one must take care not to make the following or similar statements:

• “Hey, I saw some sexy pictures of you on social media.”
• “You look like you got laid over the weekend.”
• “I saw this fantastic movie yesterday where one of the characters made me feel aroused. S/he looked exactly like you.”
• “I miss our lunch break chats. I wish I could have lunch with you now.”
• “I am missing meeting you in person.”
• “Wish I could see you in a saree now!”

Stick to more comfortable terrains like talking about a camping trip, sports, or general topics.

Ensuring that you do not cross the line while interacting and consciously or accidentally sexually harass a co-worker online is extremely important for the prevention of harassment and the healthy functioning of your organization.

For more information on E-Etiquette, the appropriate and inappropriate behaviour with a colleague online, and the services related to Prevention of Sexual Harassment(POSH), write to us at connect@cecureus.com or call us at +91-7200500221

With offices restarting or organizations shifting to newer premises, Prevention of Sexual Harassment/PoSH at the workplace has become more mandatory than ever before.

Some of the practices to implement for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment are listed below.

Mandatory Practices

Posters on PoSH should be displayed in the workplace in specific areas, i.e., reception notice board and in the cafeteria/pantry notice board on every floor of the offices.

1. For every premise, an Internal Committee to handle sexual harassment complaints should be mandated.
2. Ensure at least one IC representative is present per floor for employee safety and security.
3. Educate employees on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment practices, and provide mandatory training to keep them up to date with the laws.

CCTV Checks for Premise Safety

1. Ensure CCTVs are present to capture even the blind spots to prevent sexual harassment occurrences at the workplace.
2. The management should ascertain that the CCTV backups are taken for at least 3 months.
3. Ensure CCTV’s focus even the emergency exits to capture/prevent harassment incidents.
4. Designate an admin to do random checks on the CCTV.

Voluntary Practices for Employee Safety

1. While putting up posters and quotes on PoSH at the workplace, ensure that catchy quotes on safer workplaces are also displayed.
2. No paintings/Sculptures that are offensive or distracting should be on display.
3. Ensure there are Unisex washrooms to provide safe workplaces and restrooms for trans-persons.
4. The conference rooms must have transparent glass cabins to avoid sexual harassment issues ‘Behind Closed Cubicles.’

Safety Practices for IT parks:

1. Ensure the common areas are covered under CCTV by the Building maintenance to avoid any unfortunate sexual harassment incidents.
2. The elevators, lobby, Entry exit Gates, Building entrances, common Food court, parking lots & basements should be well-lit, and every nook and corner of the office premises should be under surveillance.
3. Periodic checks on CCTV backups. Ideally, a workplace should have backup footage of three months. Have the contact details of the CCTV Admin handy.
4. Check with the building management if the Security guards, Housekeeping staff, Gardeners, and other Vendors frequently visiting the premises are also trained on the nuances of prevention of harassment. The building management must ensure they are aware of the PoSH practices. There have been instances where the Security staff themselves have been known to stalk and tease lady staff. The organization must ensure such incidents of sexual harassment are avoided at all costs.

To know more about Best Practices to move to a new Office and Prevention of Sexual Harassment(POSH) offerings by CecureUs, please write to us at connect@cecureus.com or call us at +91-7200500221

Gone are the days when women had to silently endure sexual harassment in their workplaces. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) passed in the year 2013, has given the courage to millions of women all over the globe to voice their support for the prevention of sexual harassment and work for the prohibition of any form of harassment in the workplaces. Organizations take the PoSti law compliance seriously and ensure that the workplaces are harassment-free. Women stand up for themselves and for each other in the workplace, and through training programs, both men and women are made to comprehend the impact of sexual harassment and its prevention and prohibition. Complaints are now investigated instantly and impartially to redress perpetrators immediately to offer safe workplaces for women.

Compliance laws and reporting – an overview:

Every organization must aspire to provide a safe workplace free from harassment to all its employees. As organisations grow in size and complexity, it is practically challenging to keep all employee-related issues, especially sexual harassment, in check. Reporting and compliance laws ensure that organisations track cases of sexual harassment and motivate women to come forward to report harassment to ensure the prevention and prohibition of such instances.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act,) passed by the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare in 2013, holds employees accountable for the prevention and prohibition of sexual harassment at the workplace and compliance by all organizations to provide a safe working space for women employees.

The POSH Act 2013 on what is mandatory.

The Basics:

According to POSH Act 2013, every entity with 10 or more employees must

• Create an Internal Committee (IC) headed by a woman/female
• Create a policy for the organisation outlining the prevention and consequences of sexual harassment and assure compliance
• Create and conduct training programmes on POSH for all the employees
• Create an Annual Report specifically for POSH
• Appoint a neutral ‘External Member’ or third party, an individual with commitment and expertise in sexual harassment compliance policies and laws, as a prime member of the committee. The member must not exhibit or have any association with the organization other than their capacity as an External Member of the Internal Committee.

POSH Annual Report Filing:

Here are the legal compliance aspects of the POSH Annual Report as per the POSH Act, 2013.

Responsibility

The Internal Committee (IC) must prepare and submit an annual report to the employer.

As per Section 21 of the Act, (I) The Internal Committee or the Local Committee shall in each calendar year prepare, in such form and when may be prescribed, an annual report and submit the same to the employer and the District Officer.

As per Section 22 of the Act, The employer shall include in its report the number of cases filed, if any, their disposal under the PoSH Act in the annual report of the organisation. In cases where no such report is prepared, the employer must intimate the number of cases, if any, to the District Officer.

Authority

The employer reviews and forwards this report to the District Officer (DO), who then has to summarise all the POSH annual reports in a document and submit it to the respective State Government.

As perSection 23 of the Act, The appropriate Government shall monitor the implementation of this Act and maintain data on the number of cases filed and disposed of in respect of all cases of sexual harassment at workplace.

Details

According to PoSH compliance procedures, the details to be specified in the District Officer’s report are:

• No. of complaints received
• No. of complaints disposed of
• No. of cases pending for more than 90 days
• No. of workshops/awareness programmes conducted and executed
• Nature of action taken by the employer/DO to ensure compliance with complaints redressal.

Director’s Report

The Companies Act was amended such that each and every Annual Report must include a Director’s report on the Prevention Of Sexual Harassment, with effect from 31st July 2018. It must highlight compliance with the POSH Act and disclose the number of cases of sexual harassment. This report accompanies the Annual Return filing to the Registrar of Companies.

According to the Companies Rules under Section 134 of the Companies Act, A statement that the Company has ensures compliance with provisions relating to the constitution of Internal Complaints Committee under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 – must be included in the company’s Annual Report.

Non-compliance

An employer can be subjected to a penalty of up to INR 50,000 for non-compliance acts like,

• Failure to constitute Internal Committee at the workplace
• Failure to assure compliance with or act upon recommendations of the Internal Committee
• Failure to file an annual report to the District Officer where required
• Contravening or attempting to contravene or abetting contravention of the Act or Rules.
• Where an employer repeats a breach under the Act, they shall be subject to:
• Twice the punishment or higher penalty, if prescribed under any other law for the same offence.
• Cancellation/Withdrawal/Non-renewal of registration/license required for carrying on business or activities.

How and where to file?

The details of the template or format to file, where to file , and the address of the major district offices to file POSH Annual report can be downloaded from the link https://cecureus.com/sdm_downloads/posh-annual-report-filing/

Why is PoSH compliance essential?

Compliance with PoSH laws is integral,

• For an organization to provide a safe and secure workplace for employees
• For the protection of an organization and its brand value
• To ensure the safety of third parties like contractors, vendors, and customers, who are visiting the premises. Under the PoSH compliance laws, third parties can file a complaint of sexual harassment that occurred at the workplace.
• To handle sexual harassment complaints methodically without bias.
• To ensure harassment prevention and prohibition, failing which the workplace becomes hostile for the employees, especially women.
• To create awareness among employees about the effects of sexual harassment.

For more information on the Legal Compliance aspects of Posh and the services related to Prevention of Sexual Harassment(POSH), write to us at connect@cecureus.com or call us at +91-7200500221

GENESIS OF THESE REGULATIONS

The corporate world is witnessing a significant increase in female employees. Thanks to the PoSH act, 2013, promising safe workplaces for female employees, this has become achievable. This increase in the number of female employees participating in the corporate workspace is also an indicator that the number of female students accessing the higher educational institutes has also improved.

According to a report in 2015, India has 760+ universities and affiliated educational institutes and over 38,498 colleges. According to a study by UGC India, The University Grants Commission of India ( UGC is the governing body that grants affiliations and recognition to all educational institutes and also ensures that all institutes maintain the academic standards set by the UGC) the number of cases of sexual harassment reported between 01/04/2018 to 31/03/2019 in the higher educational institutes where 171. Such factors were indicators to the UGC that legislation dedicated to higher educational institutes is mandatory.

Although the PoSH Act categorically includes higher educational institutes within its definition under section 2(o) of its act, to stress its implication concerning the higher educational institutes, the UGC, along with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, drafted the University Grants Commission (Prevention, prohibition, and redressal of sexual harassment of women employees and students in higher educational institutions) Regulations, 2015, keeping the benefits of PoSH act to the female employees in mind.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE UGC REGULATIONS

UGC Regulations emphasized the responsibility of Higher Educational Institutes to act decisively against all gender-based violence against employees and students of all sexes, including the third gender. The regulation states that sexual harassment is gender-neutral, and educational institutes should act upon complaints of both male and female employees and all students, male, female, and third gender.

GENDER NEUTRALITY CLAUSE

These regulations of the UGC have taken a revolutionary initiative by adopting a gender-neutral approach which means that irrespective of the gender, the victim can lodge a complaint, and the UGC PoSH regulations shall protect the rights of students enrolled at the institute and ensure that they are all safe from sexual abuse regardless of the gender.

Regulation 2(k) of the said regulation defines sexual harassment. Regulation 3 (d) of the UGC PoSH regulation states that Higher Educational Institutes must act swiftly in the wake of any sexual harassment against the staff and students, whether male, female, or third gender, recognizing that primarily female employees and students are subjected to sexual harassment. But this UGC PoSH law does not exclude male students and students of the third gender.

In this PoSH regulation, this clause of  gender impartiality is revolutionary in many ways. It has helped to interpret the discrimination and abuse of male, female, and third gender students and employees on par with the corporate world, which is hierarchical. For instance, it helps resolve incidents between the student and teacher in educational institutes, employees (male, female, or third gender) of these institutes, and employers. Moreover, this gender-neutral UGC PoSH anti-sexual harassment regulation would help perceive sexual misconduct better and its consequences for men and sexual minorities.

This regulation was recently upheld in the case law of Malabika Bhattacharjee vs. Internal Complaints Committee, Vivekananda College, and Ors.

CASE LAW- Malabika Bhattacharjee v. Internal Complaints Committee, Vivekananda College and Ors.

In this case, which was presented before the single bench of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, the concern was whether a lawsuit lodged against a Respondent of the same gender as the complainant was legitimate or not.

This case challenged the internal committee of a higher educational institute as it had refused to accept a complaint because the complainant and respondent both belonged to the same gender, i.e., female. In this case, the petitioner argued that such complaints aren’t valid.

Relying upon the case example of Vishaka and others versus the State of Rajasthan, the bench contended that the fact and principles of gender equality depend on whether the complainant falls under the periphery of the PoSH Act 2013 or not. Therefore if the gender of both parties is the same, then the issue of gender equality doesn’t arise.

On the other hand, the respondents relied upon the University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) PoSH Regulations, 2015 and stated that the regulations include a wide range of people, including people of the same gender, employees, and students, and call for action in cases of sexual assault. They also argued that this, when combined with the concept of Respondent in Section 2 (m) of the PoSH 2013 Act that refers to a person as a respondent, it is evident that same-gender allegations can be considered under the PoSH 2013 Act, formed for the benefit of employees in an organization.

The High Court determined that nothing about Section 9 of the PoSH 2013 Act [referenced in Section 2(m)] prevents a same-gender lawsuit under the PoSH Act. The court also said that the definition of sexual harassment as written in section 2(n) should be interpreted in the context of the dynamic society we live in now, which has abolished section 377 and has initiated a debate on the legalization of same-gender marriage.

Also, the definition of sexual harassment in section 2(n) of the PoSH act talks about infringement of personal rights nowhere includes that an individual from the same gender cannot infringe personal liberty. Regardless of the sexuality or gender of the perpetrator, any individual (a student or an employee of the institution) of any gender can feel potentially threatened or sexually abused if their dignity is violated by any of the actions contemplated in section 2(n) of the PoSH act.

STEPS THAT MUST BE TAKEN

Understanding the PoSH Act and the UGC Regulations clarifies that the higher educational institutes must take steps to ensure that the educational institutions are safe for all. The below-mentioned steps are necessary for the educational institutes to ensure that they can build a safe environment for the students, employees, academicians, and teachers.

1. Formation of internal complaints committee as per the UGC PoSH regulations The composition as per regulation 4 of the UGC PoSH regulations is as follows

• A presiding officer who shall be a female faculty member at a senior level and is nominated by the executive authority
• Two faculty members and two non-teaching employees, nominated by the executive authority
• Three students, who shall be elected through a democratic process
• One member from the non-government organizations
• This constitution should ensure that women constitute half of the total members.

2. Duties of the internals complaint committee The committee shouldn’t be for mere compliance or made for moral policing.

• Any case involving sexual assault should be brought to the committee’s attention, as per the PoSH regulation.
• Due to the sensitivity of gender-related concerns, the committee will be approachable and not infringe on the privacy of those concerned.
• After the committee has been established, the members may determine the protocol for complaint resolution, abiding by the UGC PoSH regulations.
• The Committee should meet twice a year, with additional meetings if needed to address any concerns or grievances that might arise.

3. Gender sensitization This means spreading awareness relating to issues about gender and creating an environment that inculcates a sense of personal security and gender justice. This can be achieved by orienting students and employees through seminars and workshops.

Conclusion

These regulations have been able to adapt to the dynamic world we live in by including clauses of gender neutrality. These PoSH regulations have helped to spread awareness in educational institutes. These regulations on paper represent a world wherein there is a sense of personal liberty, and if they are breached, their grievances are heard. The educational institutes should ensure that they don’t take them as mere compliance but instead act upon these regulations and help build a secure environment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hemansh Tandon is a fourth-year law student from Indraprastha University. He is an avid reader and has a keen interest in writing prose and verses.

For more information on Prevention of Sexual Harassment(POSH), EAP (Employee Assistance Programs), D&I (Diversity and Inclusion) offerings by CecureUs , please contact connect@cecureus.com or call us at +91-7200500221

The first step toward achieving Inclusive Diversity in organizations is to remove the existing biases in the workplace by sensitizing employees and implementing stringent bias-free policies. Unconscious biases have a massive impact on the thought process of employees in our workplace, its culture, and the daily functioning of our organization, which makes Inclusive Diversity a challenge. Given that employees are from diverse backgrounds and ethnicity, is it possible to change the entire thought process or effectively yank the existing biases to bring in Inclusive Diversity in workplaces? The answer is, Yes. The first step towards achieving workplaces that foster Inclusive Diversity is identifying the problem areas in the organization.

There are several forms of unconscious biases that plague our workplace. It impacts employees and our work culture. Reducing workplace biases and their impact is a long process and, in many small ways, could alter the course of your organization in terms of productivity, culture, and employer brand.

We have compiled a few easy steps to enable you to kickstart the journey of transforming your organization by eradicating the existing biases and making Inclusive Diversity an achievable mission.

Understand what biases affect your organization predominantly:

To craft strategies and arm ourselves with ways to reduce workplace biases in organizations, it is imperative that we first understand the predominant biases that exist in our teams.

• Look out for stereotypes and discriminatory statements that signify biases in meetings, especially during promotions, project placements, and even increments.
• Identify the generalization of different groups during meetings and rewards and recognitions.
• Administer organization-wide tests to analyse the types of biases that employees may be dealing with. The better we recognize and understand biases in the workplace, the more effective our strategies to curb biases can be.

Awareness programs and sensitization workshops throughout the organization:

• Stitch together programs on Inclusive Diversity that help employees become aware of the biases they hold subconsciously. Conduct training programs that help them develop the needed empathy and sensitivity to get over their mindsets towards different groups and related biases.
• Workshops on Inclusive Diversity conducted in the workplace by Unconscious bias experts using real-life scenarios and case-based sessions enable employees to identify their biases and overcome them seamlessly.
• Workshops designed targeting different roles, from hiring managers to people managers and individual contributors, would help eliminate biases that crop up at every level of the organizational structure, thereby fostering Inclusive and Diverse workplaces.

Eliminate Biases in recruitment:

Stereotyping begins right from recruiting and hiring new employees into the organization. This hinders Inclusive Diversity at the very first step. Below are some foolproof ways to eliminate biases while hiring so that organizations can tap a talent pool while promoting Inclusive Diversity.

• Ensure that the job descriptions are framed in ways devoid of biases of any form, leading to a broad spectrum of applications.
• Set up a standardized application and selection process that ensures the hiring happens based on merit alone.
• Structured interview processes with a comprehensive scoring system, pre-determined questions, and activities for specific roles help select candidates based on potential.

Unlearn group thinking:

Group thinking in an organization is a consequence of our affinity toward similar-minded people. While it is not morally wrong, it could blindside us to the opinions and suggestions of others at work. This could limit inclusiveness and, in turn, creativity. Employees may also begin to feel they don’t belong in the organization, leading to dissatisfaction and eventually employee turnover.

It is vital to ensure that all employees in a team are given equal opportunities to voice their suggestions during discussions, brainstorming sessions, or even status update calls. All employees in the organization must feel heard and a part of the group.

Build dependence on data and statistics for informed decision making:

Data and statistics have made a vast difference in the functioning of most organizations. Therefore, any decision taken for the well-being of employees must be dependent on data rather than assumptions.

Performance evaluations, promotions, increments, or incentives must be backed by data. Such decisions guarantee that they are valid and ensure the absence of partiality to some individuals/groups over others in the organization.

Talent Development:

While planning growth and development programs for existing employees, employers/HR in organizations must ensure that such opportunities are presented to all employees or based on skill sets and competencies.

Performance reviews and project placements must be structured on competencies and performance and not based on individuals. Such measures leave out the chances for biases, enabling fair opportunities for all.

Set up support systems and safe spaces in organizations that allow employees to talk about their experience with discrimination:

Getting stereotyped and discriminated against is an ordeal that leaves a lasting impact on an individual. To help employees cope and ensure that such instances can be tracked, organizations must set up safe spaces and forums that allow them to speak up about such incidents without fear of retaliation.

Follow the above steps to begin your journey towards reducing unconscious biases in your organization. Successfully eliminating the predominant biases helps to promote inclusive diversity, inevitably leading to a more creative and secure workspace.

To know more about our Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D,E&I) and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) solutions do write to us at connect@cecureus.com or call us at +91-7200500221