People will do anything no matter how absurd in order

to avoid facing their own soul. They learn the

literature, mathematics, science of the whole world-
all because they can not get on with themselves &
have not the slightest faith that anything useful
could even come out of their own souls’’

—Carl Jung
 Disclaimer
The Optimus Consultants respects competencies and
contributions of both men & women at workplace in India .

The purpose of this training intervention in no way is to criticize or

blame men for lack of women participation in the workforce but
to explore through data &dialogues reasons for very low
participation of women in workforce in India

The emphasis of the program is to sensitize each individual

towards need of gender diversity at workplace and as an
individual actions he/she can take to create harmony at
workplace
 GROUND RULES

It is about gender but it is not about man vs. woman

Be open to test assumptions – keep an open mind, respect

others opinions and reflect upon your own

Do not judge – give everyone a space to freely express views,

refrain from being judgmental

Create a safe space for everyone to share experiences and

thoughts, do not be a hijacker in the dialogue

Please do put mobile phones on silent mode

 AGENDA

Understanding Gender and Gendered

Mindset

Saying no to Sexual Reflecting on Impact of

Misdemeanor and Gender on Personal and
Harassment Professional Spheres

Developing a Safe and Gender Sensitivity and

Progressive Work Culture Gender Parity at
Workplaces
ACTIVITY-Gender perceptions in society

ACTIVITY 1
VIDEO –
PATRIARCHY
 Social Evil- Domestic Violence

Facts-
-Physical Violence- 62 %*
*(Source-UN Population Fund &International centre for research on
women)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rape-One every 13 minutes in India***
- Dowry violence-Abuse every 90 sec***
- Dowry death-One every 60 minutes ***
- Sexual harassment at work-9 per hour(96.6% case are true)***
- ***(Source-NCRB-India)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GENDER DIVERSITY AT WORKPLACE
AND DEVELOPING INCLUSIVE
WORKCULTURE
ACTIVITY-Gender perceptions at workplace

ACTIVITY 2
 WHAT IF ??
Like character Gulliver from the famous book “Gulliver’s Travel”
by Jonathan Swift who travels to the land of Lilliputians,
Brobdingnag……and experiences
A company XYZ decides to hire ONLY youngsters between age
18 to 30 years in the company?

A company ABC decides to hire ONLY people who are more than
45 years old?

A company DEF decides to hire ONLY competent and capable

women ?
A company MNO decides to hire ONLY competent and capable
men ?
 Employment scenario in India
Workforce-51 crore contributing $3 trillion.
- Agriculture- 44 % contributing 15% of GDP
- Industry- 25 % contributing 27% of GDP
- Services- 31 % contributing 58% of GDP

Wages and salary workforce in India

1991-14.2%
2011- 16.7%
2018- 21.7%
Other nations wages and salary employment (2018)
China -53.1%
Brazil---67.7%
Bangladesh— 40.1%
USA---93.8%
 Sectoral Gender Employment scenario

Region Agriculture Industry Services

43% women / 42% 11% women / 20% 46% women / 39%

Africa
men men men

Asia (excluding 32% women / 26% 12% women / 25% 56% women / 49%
China) men men men

Latin America and 7% women / 22% 13% women / 27% 80% women / 51%
the Caribbean men men men

Europe and other

6% women / 8% 15% women / 36% 79% women / 55%
more developed
men men men
regions
 Employment scenario in India-Gender
Gender ratio
1991- Male 60% Female 40%
2011- Male 73% Female 27%*(Urban 11%).

According to the Deloitte report titled ‘Empowering Women & Girls in

India’ for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 95% or 195 million
women are employed in the unorganised sector or are in unpaid work.

The gender pay gap was 34 per cent in India, that is, women get 34 per cent
less compared to men for performing the same job with same
qualifications, says the report, which based its estimates on employment
unemployment survey (EUS) 2011-12, done by the National Sample Survey
Organisation (NSSO), International Labour Organization (ILO)
India boasts of the world’s largest microfinance initiatives with over 7.4
million SHGs representing 97 million rural households.

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS
Employment scenario in India-Gender
Employment scenario in India-Gender
 EQUILIBRIUM

ARDHANARISHWARA

www.nationalhrd.org © National HRD Network

CASE STUDIES
 SITUATION 1

The team at VMR was excited preparing a bid for a new project. The team
head, Neha was working hard to put together the pitch. The deadline was
nearing and unexpectedly the scope of project was doubled by the client.
The stakes were raised much higher now and the project became the buzz
word around at VMR.

The pre-bid work needed extra hands and Neha’s peer Vinod was assigned
to the project and thereon asked to provide all support to Neha. He was
also asked by Neha’s manager to lead all dialogues with the client.

As days progressed, Neha’s manager saw Neha losing her patience. He

sympathised with the impact that the long hours must be causing in her
personal life and was glad that he had Vinod onboarded as well.

What do you think happens in next few days of intense work pressure?
 SITUATION 2

It’s the yearly appraisal time in the organization. Two deserving candidates
are up for a salary hike and promotion.

Rohan and Sangeeta are both engineers and were hired nearly at the same
time and have about 3 years of experience each. Sangeeta has been
married for a year now and Rohan is unmarried. Before the appraisal they
both have a chat with their manager separately, where Sangeeta is asked if
she plans on starting a family soon. She replied may be!

Rohan got promoted? Is this the most pragmatic approach?

 SITUATION 3

Sreeja is a senior supervisor at a reputed construction company. Sreeja is

very capable professional, consistently exceeds goals and is one of the
most hardworking, committed and loyal executive the company has ever
had.

Sreeja is the only woman on site most days and she keeps to herself. She is
demanding and forceful with the team when needed but the men working
under her feel distanced from her.

Keeping the specific site in mind, Sreeja has done some research and would
like to introduce new safety norms which will lead to some extra work for all
her team members.

Do you think the men in her team will respond easily to these changes?
What would be the best way for Sreeja to introduce these changes?
 SITUATION 4

Meeta was one the business development manager in her organization. Her
zeal and experience led the management to hire her for the role. She
frequently found herself as the only woman in group, team and even client
meetings .

Often Meeta would feel isolated and felt that no one took her seriously. Her
ideas were rejected few times and she decided hence forth not to speak
much at such meetings. Yet, she was happy, she had been given an
opportunity to be a part of a function in her organization where no other
woman had ever been given an opportunity.

Later during the appraisal time, the average rating assigned to her, baffled
Meeta and she felt the organization did not appreciate her intelligence and
perseverance.

Did the organization move beyond the idea of diversity in numbers only?
Why is Meeta not able to progress as she expected ?
 GENDER BIASES AT WORKPLACE

MATERNAL BIAS THE AGENTIC BIAS PROVE IT AGAIN SELF LIMITING BIAS

 Expecting or  Success and  Women are held  Women have

Working likeability are to a higher stereotypes
mothers are negatively standard of about their own
perceived as correlated for expectation talents,
less committed women. Men than men and capacities,
to career are likely to be must continually opportunities
advancement, agentic which prove because they
less willing to means strong, themselves. are a woman.
take on forceful,  Women are  Research shows
additional work aggressive, promoted on that men apply
than women competent and performance, for jobs even if
with no children. successful. while men are they are 60% fit
 When women promoted on compared to
display agentic potential. women who
characteristics typically don’t
they are apply until they
perceived feel they meet
negatively. 100 percent of
the criteria.
What makes woman at workplace feel sometimes….
Isolated & Invaded ?

Inclusion not ……Isolation

1-Understand their workplace issues and challenges
2-Coach and mentor with integrity of purpose on PPP
-People management capability
-Process management capability
Performance management
Values/Knowledge/Skills found necessary for creating
inclusion
Values
• Humility
• Acceptance of differences
• Empathy* Openness to new ideas

Knowledge/skills
• Awareness of relevant laws
• Coaching & mentoring
• Flexibility
• Appropriate communication
• Ability to relate Understanding isolation& inclusion
• Persuasion

*Common across all levels of hierarchy within an organization

 WHAT INDIVIDUALS DID RIGHT

Questioned Their Own Biases And Were Open To Hiring

Women In Non-traditional Roles As Well

Refrained From Displaying Derailers Such As Micro

Aggression, ‘Mansplaining’ Verbally Or Through Body
Language Or Simply Being Dismissive
Knowing That Men And Women May Have Different
Operational Style, That Does Not Make Them Less
Capable To Lead Or Succeed
Refrained From Gendered Language Or Comments
HOW ORGANIZATIONS INVEST IN
THEIR WOMEN EMPLOYEES
WHAT ORGANIZATIONS DID RIGHT

SUPPORTIVE
POLICIES

WOMEN’S CAREER
PROGRESS

www.nationalhrd.org © National HRD Network

POSH AT WORKPLACE
 #CONSENT #METOO
#MENAREUNSAFETOO
 Vishakha Guidelines

The Vishakha Guidelines were a set of procedural

guidelines for use in India in cases of sexual
harassment. They were promulgated by the Indian
Supreme Court in 1997 and were superseded in 2013
by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
 Vishakha Guidelines -Background

Before 1997, a person facing sexual harassment at workplace

had to lodge a complaint under Section 354 of the Indian Penal
Code 1860 that deals with the 'criminal assault of women to
outrage women's modesty', and Section 509 that punishes an
individual/individuals for using a 'word, gesture or act intended
to insult the modesty of a woman.
 Vishakha Guidelines -Background
During the 1990s, Rajasthan state government
employee Bhanwari Devi who tried to prevent child marriage as
part of her duties as a worker of the Women Development
Programme was raped by the landlords of the Gujjar
community. The feudal patriarchs who were enraged by her (in
their words: "a lowly woman from a poor and potter
community") . They decided to teach her a lesson and raped her
repeatedly. The rape survivor did not get justice from Rajasthan
High Court and the rapists were allowed to go free. This enraged
a women's rights group called Vishaka that filed a public interest
litigation in the Supreme Court of India.
 Vishakha Vs State of Rajasthan
• In 1997,Justice Verma of the the Supreme Court passed a landmark
judgment in the same Vishaka case laying down guidelines to be
followed by establishments in dealing with complaints about sexual
harassment. Vishaka Guidelines were stipulated by the Supreme
Court of India, in Vishakha and others v State of Rajasthan case in
1997, regarding sexual harassment at workplace. The court stated
that these guidelines were to be implemented until legislation is
passed to deal with the issue.

• The supreme court decided that the consideration of "International

Conventions and norms are significant for the purpose of
interpretation of the guarantee of gender equality, right to work with
human dignity in Articles 14, 15 19(1)(g) and 21 of the Constitution
and the safeguards against sexual harassment implicit therein.
 Fundamental rights
• There are seven fundamental rights recognised by the Indian
constitution:
• Right to Equality(Articles. 14-18)
• Right to Freedom (Articles. 19-22)
• Right to Privacy(Article 21)
• Right against Exploitation (Articles. 23-24)
• Right to freedom of religion (Articles. 25-28)
• Cultural and Educational Rights (Articles. 29-30), and
• Right to constitutional remedies (Articles. 32-35)
PREVENTION OF SEXUAL
HARASSMENT ACT

 The Sexual Harassment of Women

at Workplace (Prevention –
Prohibition & Redressal) Act, 2013.
 The act provides protection
against sexual harassment of
women at workplace and for the
prevention and redressal of
complaints of sexual harassment.
 Covers any age group of woman
all over India.
 WHAT IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT?

• Any Physical Contact And Advances

• Any Demand Or Request For Sexual Favours

• Any Remarks That Are Sexually Coloured

• Showing Pornographic Or Sexually Offensive

Material

• Any Other Conduct Of Sexual Nature

• Quid Pro Quo

• Creating A Hostile And Unsafe Environment

 PROBABLE CAUSES / DRIVERS LEADING
TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT

GENDER POWER
STEREOTYPES PLAY

NOT
RESPECTING MEDIA
PERSONAL STEREOTYPES
BOUNDARIES
 POSH Act 2013 Covers

 MEN AND WOMEN

 ASSOCIATIONS AS IN
• All regular employees and full time directors
• In house consultants
• Advisors
• Expatriates
• Contractual employees
• Trainees
• Interns and volunteers

 AND EXTENDS TO
 Vendors
 Visitors
 Clients
 External consultants and advisors
 WORKPLACE

All locations where business of GMR is conducted

or any activity is conducted in partnership with
GMR or any place visited by the Employee arising
out of or during the course of employment,
including transportation provided by the company
for undertaking such journey.
 GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL PROCESS

Complaint made to ICC Aggrieved

3 months
Incident of Sexual requests for a
Harassment conciliation
No
Beyond 3 conciliation
months
Settlement at conciliation
• Not monetary;
• ICC to record
settlement and forward
Reasons for delay to be to relevant authority
recorded in writing • No further
beyond 3 months inquiry

INQUIRY If conciliation is
not successful
 Punishments by ICC

Except where service rules exist, employer or district officer, as the

case may be, shall take any action including:

 Written Apology
 Warning
 Undergoing A Counselling Session Or Carrying Out Community
Service
 Reprimand Or Censure
 Withholding Of Promotion
 Withholding Of Pay Rise Or Increments
 Compensation
 Terminating Service
 MALICIOUS COMPLAINTS

 Act provides safeguards for the respondent against false or

malicious charges made by the aggrieved woman.

 If its proved that the compliant is false or false documents -

action is taken by the ICC according to the Services Rules.
 POSH-Act 2013, Preventive steps

NCW has asked the all governments to ensure constitution of

Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in accordance with Supreme
Court guidelines in its departments, institutions and autonomous
bodies to address such cases. It has also recommended conducting
gender sensitisation workshops for top level management officials.
 POSH-Act 2013, Preventive steps by NCW

• Sexual harassment should be affirmatively discussed at workers' meetings,

employer-employee meetings.
• Guidelines should be prominently displayed to create awareness about the
rights of female employees.
• The employer should assist persons affected in cases of sexual harassment
by outsiders.
• Central and state governments must adopt measures, including legislation,
to ensure that private employers also observe the guidelines.
• Names and contact numbers of members of the complaints committee must
be prominently displayed.
• Need for orientation programs for employees to sensitize them on sexual
harassment.
• Enhance communication strategies to combat violation against women
 Why woman who are sexually harassed at workplace do not
approach ICC….

Fear of loss of reputation, hassles of Inquiry, FIR ,court hearing..etc

Remember in India Right to privacy is fundamental right

Law ( POSH act 2013) is there to protect you & media is with
you

-Dignity and Respect for the human being is core to justice

-Human beings are the end not the means*.

*Cause of pure reasoning By Immanuel Kant

What makes woman at workplace feel sometimes….
Isolated & Invade ?

Invasion of privacy
1-Total compliance to POSH act 2013
2-NO means No
-Dignity and Respect for the woman
-Human beings are the end not the means.
People will do anything no matter how absurd in order
to avoid facing their own soul. They learn the
literature, mathematics, science of the whole world-
all because they can not get on with themselves &
have not the slightest faith that anything useful
could even come out of their own souls’’

—Carl Jung
 VIDEO –
PERCEPTION

VIDEO – BE THE
CHANGE
Be the change that you wish to see in the in the world ..

Change your belief –Journey within

1-Gender sensitivity within family with focus on
communication and meeting expectations
2-Workplace
-NO means No,-Dignity and Respect for the woman
-Human beings are the end not the means.
Be a coach at workplace-Improve capability, performance
with d Harmony
QUESTIONS & FEEDBACK
 1-Iceland 1-Yemen
2-Norway 2-Pakistan
3Finland 3-Syria
4-Rwanda 4-Chad
5-Sweden 5-Iran
6-Nicaragua 6-Mali
7-Slovenia 7-Saudi Arabia
8-Ireland 8-Lebanon
9-New Zealand 9-Morocco
10-Philippines 10-Jordan
Thank you
 BEYOND NUMBERS:
WHAT THE FUTURE WORKPLACES NEED TO EMPHASIZE ON
 BRIDGING THE GAP

Organizations need to bridge the gap by not only developing numbers

but also:

• Developing Accountability For

Parity

• Developing Structure To Achieve

Gender Parity

• Developing Respect And Inclusion

As Core Values

• Mentoring Women As Leaders Who

In Turn Lead Other Women To Be
Empowered