Five Ways To Deal With Unwanted Advances At Work

In an age when gender diversity tops the agenda at progressive companies, it is crucial for a workplace to be free from sexual harassment. However, an Oxfam India survey shows 17% of working women in India have experienced it. The survey, conducted jointly with the Social and Rural Research Institute, showed that a majority of the victims did not resort to any formal action against the perpetrator. Rica Bhattacharyya finds out how women professionals can draw personal boundaries and stop unwanted advances early on.

1 Don’t Ignore It 

Don’t ignore or laugh off any kind of unwanted advance. “An unwanted advance is a form of injustice. You need to nip it in the bud, otherwise the person making the advances might be encouraged,” says Ruchi Sinha, assistant professor at Indian School of Business and an organisational psychologist. 

2 Listen to your Intuition 

People often rationalise their gut feeling, says Sinha. “Your body knows when you should run away and when you should fight. Listen to it,” she adds. “The earlier such matters are discussed the better the remedies,” says Ramesh Mitragotri, chief people officer, Aditya Birla Retail. 

3 Get Tough Most people look for soft targets. Indicate your lack of tolerance for unwanted advances in casual conversations. “Speak up, even in a subordinate-employee relationship,” says Mitragotri.  “Make sure the perpetrator knows you’re not a weak target,” adds Sinha. 

4 Read up on Policies 

Employees must be aware about the company’s policies on sexual harassment, so they know who to approach in case of such an occurrence. “Read the policies to know the support and mechanism for complaints in such situations,” says Sinha. 

5 Take Precautions It is important to know the culture of the country, profession and the organisation you are working with. Also, set the rules for yourself and be candid on what is acceptable and what is not. “There is a very fine line between your defining what is acceptable and the other person crossing the line,” says Sinha.

The Economic Times, Mumbai, 28-05-2013