POSH Training for Employees: Awareness Compliance and Best Practices in India

Workplace POSH awareness program

Creating a respectable, safe, and inclusive workplace in India is a legal requirement. Hence, POSH training, particularly POSH training for employees, and POSH awareness training have become one of the most talked about topics in the HR compliance circle. Furthermore, whether you are an HR leader, business owner, manager, or even an employee, understanding what POSH training is, why it matters, and how effectively it can enhance workplace safety is very important.

Practical POSH training for employees conducted by HRPro solution ensures that employees comply with the POSH Act 2013. It provides employees with the framework for how to prevent sexual harassment or confront such situations to create a safer space and know their rights and responsibilities in the workplace.

Table of Contents

  1. What is POSH Training?
  2. Why is POSH Training Mandatory for Every Employee in India?
  3. Reasons to Prioritise POSH Training for Employees
  4. Types of POSH Training Every Employee Should Know
  5. What Should POSH Awareness Training Include
  6. HRPro Solution: Simplifying POSH Compliance
  7. Conclusion
  8. Questions Frequently Asked

What is POSH Training?

The POSH training in India is a program that is compulsory in all organizations for employees to be educated about how to prevent sexual harassment at work. It not only helps in increasing the knowledge of the employees on the topic of sexual harassment but also informs them about the ways to prevent it, and the process of making complaints, besides the fact that it is every worker’s responsibility to make the workplace safe and law-abiding.

Instead of being a mere formality, POSH training is more than just compliance; it shows an organisation’s dedication to the protection, listening to, and supporting of its staff. This duty is imposed by India’s Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013, which mandates organisations having over 10 employees to carry out regular training and awareness sessions.

The POSH compliance training clarifies several situations that can prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. HRPro helps companies introduce the following to their employees:

– The legal definition of sexual harassment,
– Illustrations of inappropriate conduct,
– Ways and means of reporting incidents,
– Rights and obligations of each employee,
– The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) role.

The sessions usually involve interactive discussions, learn through case studies, and interactive questions and answers, to understand the real-life situation.

POSH compliance training at workplace
POSH training session for employees

Why is POSH Training Mandatory for Every Employee in India?

Is POSH training compulsory for every employee in India? Many HR teams still have such questions. The answer in a few words: yes. Employers, as per the POSH Act, are obliged to conduct awareness and educational workshops for their staff at regular intervals. The compliance issue is not just about documentation, but it is also about showing the world that the organisation is active in taking preventive measures against harassment at work.

At HRPro, we work tirelessly to meet the high standards of a safe workplace, ensuring that every employee or clients attend our POSH training workshop. Thus, to provide clients with the knowledge necessary to maintain safety and dignity.

An organisation that does not conduct these training or follow the mandatory rule for employee safety will not only be liable to legal penalties (fines and damage to reputation may be included) but also the people will be at risk from harassment at the workplace.

So, a POSH training session is not an optional case, but rather an integral part of the process of creating a workplace that is respectful and secure for the employees.

Reasons to Prioritise POSH Training for Employees

Legal Compliance: The POSH Act mandates organisations to carry out awareness programs for the employees to be knowledgeable about the consequences of harassment. Non-compliance may result in imposing fines, incurring legal costs, and a negative impact on the company’s image. At HRPro, we ensure that every employee and company associated with us comply with the legal requirements of POSH training.

Cultural Transformation: At HRPro, we constantly provide employees with POSH training, not just to educate about the law. It is to transform workers’ mentality and their behavior, thus turning them into a more respectful, inclusive, and empathetic workforce.

Prevewe can assist employees in spotting improper behavior that is about to escalate.
ntion Rather Than Reaction: At HRPro, we educate the staff right from the start, ensuring the probability of the existence of harassment. Through POSH training,

Types of POSH Training Every Employee Should Know

Organisations implement different types of POSH compliance training that every organisation should be aware of:

1. POSH Awareness Training – This is the first step in training and is available to all employees irrespective of their status. The topics covered are:

  • Sexual harassment
  • Illustrations and narrated situations
  • How to report an incident
  • Safety from retaliation

With this simultaneous training, employers ensure that all employees have the same understanding of the minimum standards of behavior and the company’s expectations in that regard.
2. Specialised Training for Internal Committee (IC) Members – The ICC members have an exceptional duty: they take complaints, carry out inquiries, guarantee confidentiality, and maintain procedural fairness. This necessitates deeper training in legal frameworks and investigation practices due to their responsibilities.

3. Training for Managers & Leaders – In the company, managers and team leaders are also encouraged to attend the POSH training sessions. Their training is mainly prioritised at being able to recognise harassment in its early stages. It also educates them on how to react in the right way and to give the victims the needed support through the use of empathy and professionalism.

What Should POSH Awareness Training Include

HRPro’s POSH awareness training is a well-organised, interactive session, providing a thorough understanding of the following areas:
  • Definition of Sexual Harassment – Sexual harassment can be seen as a continuum of various physical, verbal, and non-verbal actions that largely make the recipient’s atmosphere irritating, hostile, or simply uneasy. This situation might include all the way from an explicit offer to a mere touch, inappropriate words, going even up to those passing nonverbal signals, or doing anything else that makes a person lose the sense of safety and dignity.
  • Defined Roles & Obligations – One of the most critical features of the POSH Act is that it clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of all the stakeholders involved, employees, employers, and the Internal Committee (IC) members, along with HR professionals. Being aware of these roles and obligations, the organisations will be able to keep a track of their legal compliance and, at the same time, will be able to report and resolve the complaints that lead to a safer working atmosphere where respect is mutual.
  • Mechanism for Complaint Redressal – The POSH Act requires that there be a very clear and structured way for sexual harassment complaints to be dealt with. Employees may inform the Internal Committee (IC) about the incidents, which is supposed to carry out a just, swift, and secret inquiry into the matter in order to ensure that due process and accountability are maintained.
  • Measures for Prevention – The preventive steps taken against sexual harassment will only yield results if they are properly planned and executed with mindfulness. Initially, employers will have to set the bar very high for misconduct in the workplace, thereby creating a very safe and open environment for employees to report their grievances without fear of being punished.

HRPro Solution: Simplifying POSH Compliance

HRPro is giving the complete solution for POSH training, from POSH awareness training of employees to POSH compliance training of HR teams and ICC members. HRPro provides employees with the following for POSH training:

  • POSH training material tailored specifically for your sector
  • Online POSH training platforms are accessible for teams working remotely
  • Certified trainers leading POSH training workshops and sessions
  • Record keeping and compliance reporting to assist in monitoring progress and staying legally compliant

Conclusion

Companies that put an emphasis on POSH training and follow the best practices around awareness and compliance. They do not merely fulfill their legal obligations but rather take part in the process of developing and maintaining a respectful and non-harassment workplace. A well-informed and empowered workforce turns out to be the most powerful supporters of a culture that is made up of respect, trust, and inclusion.

With a well-structured Transform your workplace into a safe, more inclusive space with HRPro. Contact us to know more..

Questions People Commonly Ask

Yes, according to the POSH Act of 2013, every employee in the company must attend the POSH training. It is a legal requirement that a company with ten or more employees must conduct the POSH training. The main objective of this program is to educate every employee about sexual harassment. This provides them with the necessary skills to manage such situations appropriately..

The POSH training should be conducted at least once a year. This gives the employees the chance to refresh their knowledge regarding the legal compliance of the POSH Act. For the new employees, in most companies, it is conducted during the onboarding session. Thus, raise the employees’ awareness on POSH Act 2013.

POSH training material discusses the major topics such as defining sexual harassment, the complaint-filing procedure, employee entitlements, the Internal Committee’s authority, and the ways of implementing and keeping up a harassment-free workplace.

 Yes, the online POSH training has become a go-to option for most companies. It gives employees the chance to attend the session from any location at their convenient time.

The Higher management, legal consultants, HR Internal team, or even the HR Specialists liek the HRPro, who possess a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the POSH Act 2013 and its practical use in the workplace, can conduct the POSH compliance training.