Strategies for managers to prevent sexual harassment
Managers play a pivotal role in shaping the everyday culture of a workplace. They are the bridge between policy and practice, the people employees turn to first, often before they even consider a formal complaint. Under the PoSH Act, 2013, prevention isn’t just a compliance requirement. It’s a shared responsibility that begins with awareness, empathy, and proactive leadership.
Below are key strategies that every manager can adopt to create safer, more accountable workplaces.
Support conciliations if appropriate
The PoSH Act allows for conciliation if the aggrieved person requests it, provided it does not involve monetary settlement. This process is meant to create space for acknowledgement, accountability, and resolution in cases where both parties agree.
Managers can support conciliations by helping employees feel heard and guiding them toward the Internal Committee (IC). The manager’s role is not to mediate directly but to ensure that the process is handled respectfully, confidentially, and without any undue influence. The goal is always safety, not silence.
Ensure that there is no backlash or retaliation
One of the most common fears among complainants is retaliation, being ostracised, demoted, or given fewer opportunities after speaking up. Managers must actively prevent this by monitoring workplace dynamics after a complaint is raised.
Even subtle forms of backlash, exclusion from meetings, reassignment to less visible roles, or gossip can discourage others from reporting misconduct. A vigilant manager ensures that no one who comes forward faces professional or social consequences.
When in doubt, managers should consult the IC to discuss interim measures such as temporary transfers, altered reporting structures, or granting additional leave to ensure the complainant’s comfort and safety.
Build awareness among senior staff
Leaders set the tone. Having senior staff who understand the nuances of sexual harassment, both in legal and behavioural terms, is essential. They must know that harassment is not limited to physical acts but can include verbal comments, visual gestures, and digital misconduct as well.
Encourage open discussions during leadership meetings on how gender bias, power imbalances, or exclusionary behaviour can perpetuate unsafe environments. When leaders model respect and accountability, it signals to everyone that inappropriate behaviour, however subtle, will not be tolerated.
Discuss informal prevention mechanisms
Formal complaints are only one part of the prevention ecosystem. Equally important are informal mechanisms, everyday practices that help detect and defuse issues before they escalate.
This can include regular team check-ins, confidential one-on-one sessions, anonymous feedback forms, or even informal discussions during team meetings about respectful conduct. The aim is to build an environment where employees feel safe to raise discomfort early, rather than waiting until harm has occurred.
At its core, prevention is not about surveillance; it’s about trust. Managers who listen actively and respond fairly become the first line of defence against workplace misconduct.
Invest in training and sensitivity
No manager is born equipped to handle the complexities of sexual harassment. That’s why regular training in grievance handling, counselling, and gender sensitivity is essential.
Workshops can help managers understand trauma-informed communication, how to listen without judgment, respond without bias, and act without delay. Sensitisation also helps them identify microaggressions and subtle power plays that can lead to larger issues if left unchecked.
At Serein, we often remind teams: prevention doesn’t start with policy. It starts with awareness, and awareness comes through education.
What to do if someone approaches you with a complaint
When an employee comes forward, your first response matters most. Listen without interruption. Offer empathy, not advice. Assure them that the organisation has clear, confidential mechanisms to support them.
After hearing them out, encourage them to approach the Internal Committee, which is legally empowered to determine whether the behaviour qualifies as sexual harassment and to recommend appropriate action.
Avoid conducting your own inquiry, making promises of confidentiality beyond your control, or attempting to “resolve” the issue informally unless the complainant requests conciliation. Your job is to provide stability, safety, and trust, not to adjudicate.
The leadership responsibility
Managers are not just implementers of PoSH compliance; they are custodians of workplace culture. Their response to a complaint can either strengthen or shatter an employee’s faith in organisational fairness.
When managers lead with empathy, enforce boundaries, and act decisively, they transform policies into protection. They prove that respect is not just a legal mandate, it’s a leadership value.
Reach out to us at hello@serein.inc to train leaders who approach situations with balance and empathy.