Sandeep Ghai

Navigating Workplace Harassment: Awareness and Carefulness for Female Employees Sexual harassment in the workplace is a troubling issue that affects countless women around the world, including in Indian corporates. While legal frameworks like the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) exist to protect employees, it is crucial for female employees to be aware of their rights and to take proactive steps to protect themselves. This blog aims to raise awareness and provide guidance on how female employees can navigate and safeguard themselves in the workplace. Real-Life Scenario: A Case Study Meet Asha, a senior software developer at a leading IT firm in Pune. Asha had worked at the company for four years and was known for her dedication and professionalism. However, her situation changed drastically when the company owner, Mr. Kapoor, began making inappropriate comments and advances. The harassment escalated to physical molestation, with Mr. Kapoor touching Asha inappropriately. Asha felt trapped, fearing retaliation and doubting whether her complaint would be taken seriously without hard evidence. Awareness: Know Your Rights You can familiarize yourself with the POSH Act: The POSH Act requires that you form an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in companies with more than 10 employees. This committee is responsible for addressing complaints of sexual harassment. Understand the provisions of the POSH Act, your rights under the law, and the procedures for reporting harassment. Know the Reporting Channels: Identify the designated points of contact for reporting harassment within your organization. This could be a member of the ICC, the HR department, or an external helpline. Carefulness: Proactive Steps for Safety Seek Support from Colleagues: Confide in trusted colleagues or friends within the workplace. Having a support system can provide emotional strength and corroborate your experiences if needed. Set Boundaries: Be clear and assertive in setting personal boundaries. If someone’s behaviour makes you uncomfortable, communicate your discomfort directly and firmly. Avoid Isolated Situations: As much as possible, avoid being alone with individuals who make you uncomfortable, especially in isolated settings like after-hours meetings or social gatherings outside of work. Educate Yourself and Others: Participate in training sessions on workplace harassment and encourage your peers to do the same. Knowledge empowers you to recognize and respond to inappropriate behaviour effectively. Together, we can build workplaces where respect and safety are paramount. If you have faced a similar situation or have insights on how to handle it, please share your experiences. #WorkplaceSafety #SexualHarassment #Empowerment #POSHAct #WorkplaceCulture #Accountability #Support Let's create safer workplaces, one step at a time. 🌟

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𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩. Another life lost. 42-year-old Tarun Saxena took his life after enduring severe work pressure and mental distress for 45 sleepless days. His tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the harsh reality many employees face—pressure to meet unrealistic targets under toxic workplace conditions. Workplace stress is not just a side effect of ambition, it’s becoming a killer. This is not the first, nor sadly will it be the last, if we don’t change how we treat our people. I’m deeply disturbed by how easily some organizations push employees to the brink, all in the name of “productivity.” Where is the humanity in that? Too often, incompetent leaders push people to their limits instead of guiding them. Targets become more important than the well-being of the individuals working tirelessly to achieve them. This is a systemic failure that HR, leaders, and organizations at large need to address immediately. HR, the supposed guardian of culture, is frequently reduced to nothing more than paper-pushers. Culture, leadership, and well-being have become words that we say but don’t act upon. We need to shift the conversation from “meeting targets at all costs” to achieving those targets humanely. How? By implementing compassionate leadership, setting realistic goals, and most importantly, creating an environment where employees feel psychologically safe. It’s time to stop glamorizing burnout. Success should never come at the cost of someone’s mental and physical health. Leaders, this is your wake-up call. You are responsible for the well-being of your teams. It’s your duty to eliminate toxic workplace practices and focus on creating psychological safety. When employees are healthy, they are productive. It’s not rocket science. Begin by • Start normalizing conversations around mental health. • Train managers to lead with empathy, not fear. • Foster a culture of feedback, where employees can speak up without fear of retribution. To anyone suffering from extreme workplace stress: 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, and 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧—𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. The aftermath of such a decision leaves your loved ones in a limbo of pain, while those responsible for toxic behaviors go unchallenged. By taking that step, you allow workplace bullies to get away with their actions. 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡-𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜.Your life is far more valuable than any job. https://shorturl.at/jGgaH #MentalHealthMatters #WorkplaceStress #Leadership #PsychologicalSafety #WellBeingAtWork #WorkplaceCulture

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🚨 "Levying an 18% GST on life and medical insurance premiums amounts to taxing the uncertainties of life," says Nitin Gadkari. He also highlighted the issues of differential treatment to savings through life insurance, the re-introduction of IT deductions for health insurance premiums, and the consolidation of public sector general insurance companies. Paying GST on life and medical insurance premiums is particularly challenging for senior citizens. This isn't the first time Nirmala Sitharaman has been urged to reconsider this policy. In June, the Confederation of General Insurance Agents' Associations of India appealed to reduce GST on individual health policies from 18% to 5%. #Insurance #GST #TaxPolicy #Healthcare #SeniorCitizens #NitinGadkari #NirmalaSitharaman #Finance #PolicyReform

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'Change Your Thinking to Change Your Life'. Here's a cent on what differentiates Ordinary from the XtraOrdinary - It's what you set Your Attention to (Focal is Causal) Ordinary folks discuss/talk about other Folks Good Folks discuss/talk about Events & Happenings XtraOrdinary folks discuss/talk about Ideas, Growth, Execution & how we can make wherever we are better than before. #thinking #growthmindset #mentorship #coaching

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In my latest hirewitheve.ai podcast, I spoke with Prashant Srivastava, CEO of W.E.-Matter . Previously President Group HR and People Excellence at Reliance Group and Partner at Aon Hewitt and a 1992 Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad graduate. In this conversation he shared the insights of HR transformative role in today's business landscape. His reflections on aligning leadership with high energy, the evolving of AI in business were compelling. Key take aways from the conversation: ✅ Engaging people, creating employee experience that is unparalleled, ensures that people deliver and engage customers and ensures that you have an edge over competition. ✅ Everyone wants to buy talent rather than build talent. But then you can’t blame employers because finally, they should have the money to pay. ✅ AI is hugely overhyped; there's a gap of about 20 years between what media is talking and what is being done. ✅ The tool is not replacing human beings, at least for the next 20, 30 years. It is enabling human beings. Apart from the above there are much more insights to look in the whole conversation. Listen to the complete conversation in the link mentioned in comment.

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A rather nice thing happened to me last Friday. As we were winding up after completing an employee engagement festive quiz for a corporate client in Kolkata, a senior participant came up to me and said, "Souvik, I really enjoy your quizzes. You ask questions from things that are known to us, yet often unknown to us in some way. I always felt that quizzes were difficult and questions were asked on nerdy subjects, but your quizzes have changed my perceptions. This is the third year you hosted this quiz for us and I have liked them every year. Also, I like the way you encourage the teams to attempt your questions and you look genuinely happy when someone gets it right. Hope to participate in your quiz next year too." Thank you Sir for your nice compliments and I also hope to see you next year. You made my day! As a quizmaster, I have always believed that most questions in a quiz, if not all, should be from topics which majority of the participants have heard of. And, this is something I try to incorporate in every quiz I do. Also, I am REALLY happy when my questions get answered as a correct answer always shows a connect among participants, audience and quizmaster. Thank you Sir for your kind words, they will serve as encouragement for my future quizzes. #Quiz #Quizmaster #TriviaTales #employeeengagement #funatwork #corporatequiz

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is it only me? I get a nauseous feeling everytime I see another women centric program labelled She or Her? I find it patronizing as if the org is doing a great favour to women by uplifting them thru this training or that platform or some other initiative. While the intention behind these programs may be to uplift and empower women, the true impact lies in addressing the systemic biases and barriers that hinder their progress. What would be truly impactful is 1) Checks and balances to ensure there's no bias in selection or pay decisions. 2) Ways of working which allow for flexibility so that care givers of all genders are able to balance their personal and work life. 3) Productivity focus and mechanisms that shift the focus towards productivity and tangible results, rather than relying on impression management or subjective evaluations. 4) Fostering a culture where it's acceptable for employees to take time off or adjust their pace during personal or family-related needs, such as menstrual cycles or supporting a spouse/child/elder I am now repulsed everytime I see the terms Female CEO, Diversity hire or a bunch of special initiatives which do the exact opposite of inclusion. They label people and draw the focus away from what they truly bring to the table beyond their gender or sexual orientation. It literally should not matter. It's 2024, dear corporates! Having said that, under-representation of women is a indeed a real issue. I'd love to hear stories of how the root cause is being addressed through systemic changes.

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🌟 Here’s a quick and lively scoop about my recent experience attending the SHRM India Annual24 Conference virtually this time! It was an incredible opportunity to gain insights from industry leaders on a wide range of crucial topics, all from the comfort of my home. 💡 One standout session for me was on #Outcomation (Outcome + Innovation)—an inspiring approach to roadmap creation and future planning. The strategies discussed were not only thought-provoking but also incredibly valuable for driving success in our organizations. 🏡 One of the topics they discussed that I found particularly fascinating was on : #Fostering Family-Friendly Workplaces for the Future to be impactful. It emphasized the importance of creating inclusive environments that support and uplift all employees, which is vital in today’s work culture. 🤝 Another key theme that really stood out to me was the significance of #Networking, #EmployeeProductivity, and #Prosperity, as well as the #evolving strategies needed to stay Future Ready in today’s changing world. While I can’t cover all the amazing topics discussed, I’m grateful to SHRM India for such an experience. As I reflect on these discussions, I’m excited to embrace this era of learning and upskilling. It’s a great time to focus on becoming a better version, both personally and professionally! Let’s continue to grow and support each other on this journey! 🙌✨ #SHRMIndia #Leadership #Innovation #WorkplaceCulture #FamilyFriendlyWorkplaces #Networking #ProfessionalDevelopment #ContinuousLearning

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Along with my colleague Bhaskar Das, I facilitated a client workshop with their top team. The HR head is a keen OD practitioner as well, and was (as per his note) learning from us along the way. Facilitation skills are learnt over time and each of us need to develop our own style. But some core concepts are useful to remember. At Think Talent Services, we tend to use some principles in facilitation, as in much of our Talent Management work. 1. The Carl Roger's philosophy : Help the helpee help themselves. (Our translation: Any individual or team must set their own agenda and actions, and work through the path themselves, with some nudges and insights from facilitators) 2. The Flow Model : Happiness comes from a deep immersion in one's work and challenges, and should be in the zone of stretch capability. (Our translation: The individual's or team's capability is a key ingredient in the equation of optimal performance, and must be examined with an clinical eye of external facilitators. There is no point in taking any team down a garden path) 3. The facilitator must first think of the client and the effectiveness/outcome of their work than creating an impression of goodness only. (Our translation: Sometimes facilitators can get caught in their own worldview, survival needs and the need to be appreciated as a facilitator, and can lose the larger purpose) We work with many clients and have a pool of great facilitators who work as part of our extended team. They all have their own styles, akin to leadership. There is no one facilitation style, one has to learn to develop one's own style and be comfortable with it. Not all those who come across you as a facilitator will 'like' that style, and many will love it, and find it useful. So choosing one's own path as a facilitator and coach is key to effectiveness. Here is a video about different styles of "orchestrating". This is one of my favourites and has helped me learn a lot in working with teams, as a leader, and as a facilitator. #facilitation #leadership #topteams Saurav R Mohanty Supreet Malhotra Rustom Vesavevala Shivin Tikoo Bhaskar Das Joe Chacko https://lnkd.in/gK3iq9Wm

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LIC's brand, their undertanding of masses of india and distribution network of agents has the potential to expedite bridging the gap for health insurance in the country. however unlike life insurance, health insurance operates at a high frequency services and claims, raising questions about their ecosystm and workforce readiness to adapt and grasp this distinction. The industry and country could benefit greatly if it's done well, may be inorganic growth via the acquisition of a quality health insurer. An interesting development to keep an eye on. #Insurance #HealthInsurance #LIC

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Initiating benefits is one thing, but refining and ensuring employees are absolutely benefited is whole different thing because it needs constant employee connects and listening to what they have to say. Constructive feedback should be taken and worked upon if you want to deliver a work environment that enables your employees to be the best at what they do.

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🛡️𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹 🕒 In a landscape where labor laws shift with every legislative update, staying compliant is a constant challenge for HR teams. But why is ComplySmart unique? 💻Because it’s designed exclusively for the nuances of Indian labor law, bringing a streamlined approach to a notoriously complex area. 🔍 Imagine a tool that intuitively understands the ins and outs of minimum wage adjustments, working hours, employee rights, and occupational safety regulations—and keeps you up-to-date without the usual hassle. What truly sets ComplySmart apart is its intelligent, real-time policy library, continually updated with the latest labor laws and tailored specifically for Indian businesses. No more manual tracking or costly penalties. ComplySmart automates compliance to keep you confidently on the right side of the law. Plus, its user-friendly interface empowers your entire team, regardless of tech expertise, to stay on top of compliance effortlessly. 𝘚𝘰, 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥. Connect us today at [email protected] #ComplySmart #LaborLawCompliance #HRTech #ComplianceSoftware #WorkplaceSafety #ComplianceMadeEasy #HRCompliances Tool

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How many reportees can one effectively manage? Balancing efficiency and effectiveness hinges on the optimal span of control—the number of employees reporting directly to a manager. While traditional models limited managers to 6-10 direct reports, today's leaner organizations often see managers supervising 15-20+ employees, averaging 19. Factors like workforce mobility, advanced communication technologies, and flatter structures enable this shift, challenging Lyndall Urwick's classic theory of an 8-report maximum. Experts now recommend capping spans at 15-20 to ensure effective coaching and oversight, with the ideal typically around 10 or fewer direct reports. Tailoring this span to your specific business needs is crucial for maximizing productivity. Before expanding a manager’s span, audit actual bandwidth and streamline workflows to prevent overtaxing. What has been your organization's ideal span of control? Share your real-world best practices! #organizationdesign #manager

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Anant Chaturdashi: A Moment for Reflection and Growth As we bid farewell to Lord Ganesha on this Anant Chaturdashi, I’m reflecting on the valuable lessons this 10-day festival teaches us—both personally and professionally. In my role in HR, these lessons deeply resonate with how we build people, culture, and growth within organizations. Embracing New Beginnings: Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, teaches us to see challenges as opportunities for growth. Whether it's a new hire, a shift in company strategy, or personal development, I’m reminded that every transition brings a chance to evolve. Resilience and Adaptability: Ganesha’s departure symbolizes the impermanence of life, a reminder that change is inevitable—whether it’s in the business landscape or team dynamics. As HR professionals, our role is to help people navigate these changes with resilience, providing support and tools for personal and professional growth. Wishing everyone a blessed Anant Chaturdashi and continued success in all your journeys! 🙏 #AnantChaturdashi #Skill&will #Coaching#Leadership #Resilience

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Talking about Career Shifts with Gopal A Iyer Gopal is a powerhouse with 20+ years of experience in the HR domain. Recently, he shifted gears and took on the role of COO at a consulting firm. We spoke at length about the need for professionals to explore more career opportunities than the path they have always followed. We both agreed that entrepreneurship is a path that more and more people should consider taking. There's clearly a slow down in hiring in most knowledge sectors, owing to multiple reasons, including - elections in India and US, global economic uncertainty, advent of AI and much more. I showed him how we help organizations to improve employee engagement by leveraging on the power of corporate gifts and merch. He recently started a podcast called Career Shifts and interviewed Prabir Jha on his first episode. Gopal - big thanks for visiting our OffiNeeds.com operations centre. I loved showing you around and learnt a lot from our conversation. It's always exciting to meet a LinkedIn connect whom you admire a lot, in-person. Did you meet up with a LinkedIn connect recently? Tag that person and let me know how your experience was... #networking #employeeengagement #brandbuilding #corporategifts

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Dear People Pro! Are your Teams feeling safe enough to go all out, to ace their BIG Goals? In this pic is a 3 minute read you may be looking for.. ** DYK Ravi Sundaram leads the BELBIN Accreditation Course - 2 Day In Person Physical Class - Mumbai - on July 26 - 27th? To know how Belbin can be of value in your People Practice, or to enrol, DM me #leadershipdevelopment #diversityandinclusion #learninganddevelopment #personaldevelopment #psychologicalsafety #employeeexperience

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Dear People Pro! Are your Teams feeling safe enough to go all out, to ace their BIG Goals? In this pic is a 3 minute read you may be looking for.. ** DYK Ravi Sundaram leads the BELBIN Accreditation Course - 2 Day In Person Physical Class - Mumbai - on July 26 - 27th? To know how Belbin can be of value in your People Practice, or to enrol, DM me #leadershipdevelopment #diversityandinclusion #learninganddevelopment #personaldevelopment #psychologicalsafety #employeeexperience

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During performance appraisal discussion, whatever may be the reason for assigning a 'not-so-good' rating, the team member deserves our time for a chat, some words of empathy and encouragement to improve. 'Recency', 'Leniency', etc. have done their part. It's time for 'Decency'. Quick Tips for Team Managers: 1. Understanding the purpose 2. Preparation before Discussion 3. Creating Positive Environment for Discussion 4. Providing Constructive Feedback focused on behaviours rather than personality 5. Active Listening 6. Setting SMART Goals 7. Developing an Action Plan 8. Follow-Up and Accountability

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Risk, curiosity, wonderment, spontaneity, delight, sweat, blood, tears and so many experiences that embody the true human spirit - all rolled into one. What a journey! This one's a special milestone 💙🩵 Muchas Gracias to the #OGTribe, you know who you are 😎 Wouldn't have done it without you! Check the service stack out : http://tribefortalent.com/ Big Thanks afaqs! for the feature. #TribeForTalent #TribeConsulting #HR #LaunchDay

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