The Need for Safe Office Environment
Usually people have a perception that the Mesh
Chairs and Executive Office Chairs individuals
always have a dominant attitude, over their colleagues. An Executive Office Chairs
personality often has a character of a serious and laddering attitude. Thus,
let’s take a keen look over the virtual sexual harassment secton, which was
highly witnessed during the Covid-19 duration.
The nature of our workplace has been
significantly impacted due to COVID-19 pandemic. Many have had to adapt to the
'new normal', which is working from home. Waking up to 'travel' to their
makeshift home office, in order to commence their day's work, employees find
themselves under the gaze of the webcam: WebEx, Zoom, Google meets or Skype, as
online platforms become the new accustomed workplace. Our offices have sunk
back into its wonted quietness. The new workplace has blurred the lines of
professional and personal as well as formal and informal, making it uncomfortable
to work.
What is Virtual Sexual
Harassment?
There seems to be a mix
of emotions, relief for those who had experienced inappropriate behaviour in
their workplace and confusion for those who are currently facing variations of
virtual sexual harassment. The "new normal” of digitalization brings with
it a direct visual entry into privacy via the increased number of video calls
and the increased communication on other communication platforms.
Working from home might
be a small change for few, but many employees are concerned about unacceptable
behaviors from other employees or their superiors or other persons from work,
through digital modes of communication. Incidents such as these can take place
through social media platforms such as WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Email, Instagram,
and so on. Any correspondence, messages, inappropriate jokes, audio or video
recordings which are unwelcome and sexually coloured and are sent, transmitted
or conveyed through any electronic means also amount to sexual harassment at
the virtual workplace. In addition to inappropriate verbal and physical
encounters, the above also involves unwanted and unwelcome digital interactions
at the virtual workplace. The aggrieved person has the right to seek redressal.
Such incidents which take place via electronic means while working from home
are as important a case as any other forms of sexual harassment at the office
workplace.
Non-Physical Forms of
Sexual Harassment
Now it is important to
have a discussion on the non-physical forms of sexual harassment that the Act
recognizes. It is important to understand what non physical forms of sexual
harassment includes and means. An important point to be noted regarding virtual
forms of sexual harassment is the lack of a physical link between the alleged
attacker and the victim which makes easier to say things one wouldn't in
person.
For instance, an
employee who wants to ask another for a date but is too afraid may send a
sexually suggestive email/message instead because they don't have to face their
co-worker in person. Another instance could be an employee feeling
uncomfortable regarding the video calls with her supervisor/ boss because of
inappropriate comments such as "push back the camera I am unable to see
your full body".
Under-reporting of sexual
harassment cases
Victims/ aggrieved
persons tend to turn a blind eye to such conducts which take place on the
virtual platforms; they are hesitant whether to file a complaint with the
Internal Committee. It is important to keep in mind that in sexual harassment
instances victims tend to remain silent and not report as a majority believe
that their report would not be taken seriously or even addressed, while there
are some who are afraid that reporting such cases would put their jobs at risk.
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