A few years ago, I sat through a PoSH awareness session as an attendee, not as the leader signing off on it.
Halfway through, I remember thinking I’d seen this presentation before. The room was filled with the same case studies, PowerPoint, and polite nods. It would have been easy for me to disregard the session and covertly shift it down the priority list the next time. I didn’t.
During that session, I first heard a coworker raise a question that made me realize she was genuinely unsure of what was appropriate and inappropriate. It wasn’t because she was irresponsible, but rather because no one had ever given her a clear explanation.
That moment changed how I thought about PoSH training. If people leave a session knowing the law but still unsure about what to do when something happens, have we really done our job?
When Compliance Becomes a Checkbox, People Notice
The Prevention of Sexual Harassment framework under the 2013 Act (PoSH), often gets treated as a legal requirement. Something HR runs once a year so the organization can tick the compliance box.
I understand why. The language can be formal. Sessions can feel repetitive. And most people walk in thinking they already know the basics.
However, people notice when leaders approach PoSH compliance as a formality. They are able to distinguish between doing something because it truly matters and doing it just for the sake of doing it.
And that difference becomes important when someone experiences or witnesses inappropriate behaviour. A workplace where employees know the policy exists is not necessarily a workplace where they feel comfortable using it. Compliance creates the framework. Leadership determines whether people trust it.
What Good PoSH Training Should Really Do
An efficient PoSH awareness training involves more than just going through the rules. The training must educate employees on the reality of sexual harassment at the workplace. The training may involve scenarios where quid pro quo, a hostile environment, inappropriate communication, or role plays where one can demonstrate what behavior that one person finds acceptable but can cause discomfort to another.
After the session, employees should walk away with the following questions answered:
- What rights do I have?
- Where and how do I file a complaint?
- The Internal Committee (IC) consists of who?
- After a complaint is filed, what happens?
- Why is secrecy important?
- What is the organization in charge of?
- If I ever see someone acting inappropriately, what can I do?
Learning about the PoSH policy is not the same as knowing how to act in a real-life situation. This is because knowledge is gained from examples, discussions, and an environment where difficult questions can be raised. PoSH training is not about participation but awareness. The goal of PoSH training isn’t attendance. It’s awareness people can actually use.
The Workplace is Changing. Our Training Should Too.
A lot has changed in the workplace since the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act went into effect in 2013. In addition to changing how people interact, communicate, and work, technology has opened up new possibilities for harassment. Digital harassment, deepfakes, image manipulation, and AI-enabled abuse are a few issues that are now being discussed in the workplace.
This means that the PoSH campaigns cannot rely on the traditional way of working. The same applies to the Internal Committee. The IC is a vital component of the PoSH act and its role is not just to exist. Employees need to know about the members of the committee and the process to be followed in case of grievances.
The Responsibility Doesn’t End With the Training
If someone in our organization faced harassment tomorrow, would they know whom to approach, and would they trust the system enough to speak up? That, for me, is the real test of good PoSH compliance.
Not a session completed. Not a policy filed away. But a workplace where employees are aware of their rights, boundaries, and that they will be heard if something goes wrong. Training is the first step in this process, but it must continue through regular leadership. Because creating a safe workplace is not an annual exercise. It is a responsibility we carry every day.
And if you’re thinking about how to make PoSH training more meaningful in your organization, I’d be happy to continue the conversation at [email protected]
