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What is harassment? Sexual harassment in the workplace is not just about physical contact; suggestive words and bullying are harassment too.
What is harassment? Many are unaware that sexual harassment in the workplace is not just about physical contact; suggestive words and bullying are harassment too.
The recent TVF controversy has once again bought to forefront the fact that sexual harassment is a part of the new corporate India and working women must learn to deal with it. In the above-mentioned case, the harassment has been quite explicit, but there are times when it takes other forms as well.
Unfortunately, except for a few companies, most still do not have clear-cut definitions for employees as to what constitutes harassment. In fact, some companies do not even have clear policies and guidelines to ensure that women employees do not have to suffer in silence.
In my opinion, anything which makes a woman employee uncomfortable is harassment. If within a team, a crude joke or suggestive remark is not welcome to the female members, then it becomes sexual harassment. There are cases of bullying where the female members are intimidated by crass remarks and made to feel inferior, their contributions and achievements belittled.
Gender equality will not become a part of our work environment unless it is taken seriously and drilled down right from the top management. Having women in the team or as a part of management committee only to meet the numbers that are set as guidelines will not bring about the change that is needed.
Below is a list of behaviour that needs to be addressed and curbed. They should become a part of the guidelines and handbook which states what constitutes harassment.
There is also a form of harassment which is usually the result of envy. If a woman team member has received a promotion or increment which is more than that of her other teammates, her ability is immediately questioned. Her capabilities are sneered at and she must work much more than the male counterparts to constantly prove herself.
Yes, it is true that our workplaces are much better than they were a few decades back. It is also true that even with such adverse situations many women leaders have climbed the corporate ladder and made it to the top. Hence, the picture is not as bleak. But for it to be ideal, there needs to be a complete attitude change among the men of our country. They need to learn to respect women they work with. They need to understand their space and treat them like the professionals they are.
Let’s teach our boys so that the next generation men in corporate world do not underestimate the woman they work with. Let’s teach our boys so that they are better co-workers, bosses and juniors. Let’s teach our boys to be better human beings.
Top image via Pexels
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Children should be taught to aspire to be successful, but success doesn't have to mean an IIT admission only!
Imagine studying for 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 whole years for the JEE exam only to find out that there’s only a very, very slim chance of getting into an IIT. It is a fact widely acknowledged that the IIT-JEE is one of the toughest exams not just in India but in the whole world. Apart from IITs, the NITs and IIITs of India also accept the JEE scores for admission. There are said to be a total of 23 IITs, 31 NITs and 25 IIITs across the country.
Now, let’s first get a few facts about the IITs right. First, according to the NIRF rankings of 2023, only 17 IITs rank in the top 50 engineering colleges of India and only a few (around 5) IITs are in the list of the world’s top 100 engineering colleges. Second, the dropout rate of IIT-qualifying students stands at least at 20%, with reasons being cited ranging from academic pressure and unmanageable workload to caste discrimination and high levels of competition within the IIT.
So, it’s quite clear that the journey of making it through IIT is as challenging as the journey of getting into an IIT. Third and most important of all, the acceptance rate or the odds of getting into an IIT are below 3% which is a lot lower than the acceptance rate of highly and very highly ranked US universities. Four, getting into an IIT of one’s choice doesn’t mean one will also get into a branch of one’s preference at that IIT.
Dr Nalini Parthasarathi, 79, based in Puducherry has dedicated 30 years of her life caring for people suffering from hemophilia.
It is amazing when a person turns personal adversity into a calling, and extends empathy to make a significant impact in the lives of other people. This has been the life’s journey of Dr Nalini Parthasarathi.
April 17 is World Hemophilia Day. Dr Nalini Parthasarathi, 79, based in Puducherry has dedicated 30 years of her life caring for people suffering from hemophilia. She was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
Hemophilia is a condition where one or more clotting factor is absent leading to bleeding. Severe cases can be life-threatening.
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