As a manager, dealing with the sensitive issues surrounding sexual harassment within your team can be challenging. Yet, it is an important part of your responsibility to ensure a safe and respectful work environment. Whether the harassment involves inappropriate comments, behaviour, or more serious actions, your response makes a significant difference in how the situation is dealt with.
To create a culture of trust within your team, sexual harassment complaints must be handled with care, professionalism, and legal awareness. By responding effectively, you not only protect your team members but also strengthen your organisation’s commitment to gender equality, respect and inclusivity.
As the first point of contact in the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) cases, a manager has several key responsibilities that cover the legalities, the complainant, and the rest of the team.
Providing support
The first step is to give them your time. Please do not postpone meetings with employees when they specifically say they need to discuss something important or personal.
You must provide a safe, empathetic environment for the complainant to share their experience without judgement. Refrain from asking questions which sound biased and prejudiced. Remain impartial and avoid making assumptions or taking sides until a formal investigation is conducted. It’s not your job to make a decision or judgement, that’s for the internal committee, your role is to guide them on the next steps they can take.
Once you realise that the issue being reported to you by the employee falls under the purview of POSH, your job is to inform them about your company’s POSH policy. You can then help them reach out to the Internal Complaints Committee to make a formal complaint if that is what they want to do. Do not push them to proceed in a manner that makes them uncomfortable—the decision should be their own. Your role is to present the various options they have going forward. You may even need to seek guidance from your HR if you are in doubt about how to proceed.
Once the POSH investigation begins, support the concerned parties by allowing them time to attend the ongoing meetings and provide any assistance required. This could involve managing workloads and time-off.
Dotting the ‘i’s and crossing the ‘t’s
Never forget that sexual harassment is a serious issue that involves many legalities. As the manager, you need to make sure that these rules are respected.
The most basic rule is to ensure confidentiality. Ensure that the details shared are only disclosed to relevant parties as needed. If in doubt, don’t say anything and check with HR or the IC. Ensure the rest of your team is not discussing the case in the workplace. If confidentiality has been broken, you should address it immediately by telling the parties not to refrain from talking about it and report it to the IC.
Make sure that you document every step and detail. Accurately note down the complaint, dates, times, locations, and specifics of the incident while maintaining the complainant’s confidentiality. You will need this information if and when the IC requests you to attend the case proceeding as the manager of the involved parties.
Use this information to cooperate with the IC If you are called during the investigation as a witness or stakeholder. They may need the documents or evidence you have collected or any feedback necessary for the case. Please stay neutral and provide every piece of information that is in your possession.
Managing the rest of the team
As a manager, building a respectful culture is key. The complainant must be protected against any form of retaliation, whether subtle or blatant. As a manager, you should keep an eye out to ensure that the complainant is protected from any further victimisation or retaliation from the team, the accused, or even yourself. You should have the self-awareness to make sure that your behaviour towards them does not change for the worse, particularly in terms of your managerial duties, such as handing out work assignments or performance reviews.
Managers should always stay informed about updates on company POSH policy and ensure their teams are trained on these protocols to foster a respectful workplace. Set up awareness sessions to educate them on any changes and ensure that every one of your employees has completed the required POSH modules.
Communication is key. Take the opportunity to talk about a safe work environment with your team members in your meetings. Provide an environment where employees can reach out without fear of judgment or retaliation. Before team outings or office events, reinforce the company code of conduct, responsible drinking, and safe transport.
Working with IC as an ally
As a manager and primary point of contact for the team, you have an opportunity to set the right tone and build a positive team work culture in a gender-diverse group. To give the right impetus to your efforts, working together with the Internal Committee as a partner and ally could prove truly effective. Employing the IC’s expertise to identify key points in the team’s journey and emphasizing good practices through the year can be a gamechanger. This will ensure that the ball doesn’t drop at any point and interventions are not a knee-jerk reaction when complaints are filed. Instead, a proactive approach towards POSH can create a healthy camaraderie and respectful attitude among the team.
Building a better team
It is crucial to put into practice these simple yet essential strategies for handling POSH complaints to create a safe and open environment for your team. Doing so will make team members feel more supported and secure, leading to better work outcomes. Happy employees who trust that their manager ‘has their back’ are more likely to work better together.
As a team manager, you can help build a better team and work culture by creating a supportive environment and ensuring that allegations are handled with care and professionalism.