L Subramani
A management graduate has come up with
an e-learning tool to make the guidelines regarding sexual harassment
at workplace simpler after discovering that most women are woefully
ignorant about what constitutes harassment.
Despite strong judicial intervention and increasingly diversifying
workforce in corporate world, sexual harassment at work place remains
one of the most common problems that torment Indian women. Though it is
believed to be widespread, women prefer to maintain silence over
indecent behaviour at work place, fearing stigma and exclusion.
"In many cases, we have found sexual harassment to be the chief reason
for women leaving their jobs or showing low performance," says Nirmala
Menon, founder and CEO of Interweave, a start up HR consultancy firm
specialising in workforce diversity and establishing legal compliance
against sexual harassment at work place. Recently, the company has come
out with an e-learning tool called `No Excuse' on sexual harassment
that helps educate all employees on how to handle the issue.
A management graduate specialising in Human Resources, Nirmala learnt
and researched a great deal about work force diversity and the tangible
benefits it accrued to companies during her stints with MNCs and IT
companies. Though diversity in the Western context is primarily gender,
sexuality or race-based, she says the term had several dimensions in
India.
"During my sessions with corporate employees, we generally ask them if
they are from Bangalore and I would find lots of hands go up in
India, diversity is even based on language and regionalism," she noted.
A consequence of diversity, Nirmala realised, is discrimination and
harassment and many organisations needed help to fix legal compliance
issues. In India, the Supreme Court has laid clear and unambiguous
regulations that held employers accountable for incidents of sexual
harassment at work place (also called the Vishaka guidelines).
Though companies generally complied with the guidelines by putting up
information educating all employees about the ill-effects and legal
implications of harassment or discriminatory behaviour, the issue is
seldom discussed openly as it is sensitive. "There is ignorance among
women employees at various degrees," Nirmala points out.
No knowledge
"Some of them didn't know about the issue completely, while others
didn't know how to handle it or failed to understand what exactly
constitutes sexual harassment (which the Supreme Court guidelines
clearly state). So, I decided to come up with an e-learning tool which
would offer clarity on how the issue can be approached."
After deeper research, Nirmala came up with the content for the tool
and took the help of Bangalore-based Tarang Software, a leading
e-learning solutions provider in the k-12 segment, to develop the
courseware (learning content in the form of a software).
She says the courseware, which is a multi-media and interactive tool,
is based on case studies relevant for Indian corporate
environment. "The tool has been made to work in any LMS (Learning
Management System) platform and contains lessons and a quiz in the
end," Nirmala explains. "Much of the lessons are audio narrations, done
more like a documentary, for the employee to relate with it. Through
the LMS platform, the manager can also see how many employees have
either signed-up to the course or completed it."
She says response for the e-learning tool from the corporate has been
encouraging. Since many top level managers find it difficult to talk
openly about the issue, they seem to view the tool as the most personal
and effective way of addressing the issue. Nirmala is also quick to
reject notions that things will be better with the tool's installation.
"The tool is primarily for the employees, and we complement it by
conducting training programmes for managers. In fact, we don't approach
it as an advocacy issue, but a business one," Nirmala says. "Having a
diverse work force makes a company score over others in terms of
innovation and is the best way to tackle the dearth in skilled
employees. If they don't convince women that their's is the safest
organisation to work, they may miss out on capturing the best talent."
Vulnerable
While `No Excuses' will be initially targeted at IT and ITES firms,
Nirmala reveals it would be certainly extended to other industries. She
is particularly aware of discrimination and harassment cases in banking
and finance, healthcare and garment manufacturing industries, where
women are still considered more vulnerable.
"We are a start-up firm and need more time to increase the pace,"
Nirmala admitted. "We have created an excellent tool with the help of
Tarang and hopefully, we should be able to translate and provide it in
languages like Kannada and Hindi in the next few years."
Interweave sees the e-learning tool as part of a broader objective to
be a 'one-stop-shop' for supporting organisations in sexual harassment
issues. Besides conducting training programmes, Nirmala has also been
acting as a neutral member (upon invitation) of the complaints
committees in companies that hear sexual harassment or discrimination
cases (as mandated by the Vishaka guidelines).
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Nov32007/she2007110233784.asp
