Myths About POSH Training

A workplace with sexual harassment can cause low morale, reduced work output, and damaged company reputation. Because of this problem, India put in place the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013, commonly referred to as the POSH Act. Ensuring POSH compliance relies a lot on POSH training for employees and employers. This aims to teach them about how to behave in the workplace, what their rights and responsibilities are, and how they can resolve harassment cases.

Despite the fact that POSH training is required by law, some people still believe various myths about it. Because of these myths, organizations may not be aware of the rules, may apply them wrongly, and might even violate the law. The purpose of this article is to correct the most popular misconceptions about POSH training, so that organizations can see why it matters.

Myth 1: POSH Training Is Only For Women

The POSH Act focuses on helping women escape sexual harassment at their job, but POSH training is for all. Its goal is to help create an environment where all employees feel safe, accepted, and valued by teaching proper work conduct. It leads employees to notice unacceptable actions and inspires those who don’t participate in such actions to act on them.

Myth 2: POSH Training Is Only Needed Once

POSH training should happen again and again. The law mandates that training be done routinely and occasionally, with a clear focus on new staff and members of the internal committee (IC). Workplace environments, rules, and the employees themselves change as years go by. Ensuring the culture of respect continues, companies should organize yearly training classes on POSH.

Myth 3: Only HR Is Responsible For POSH Compliance

Even though HR is mainly responsible for arranging POSH training and grievance redressal, all staff members are accountable for following the rules. It is important that all leaders, managers, IC members, and employees are involved equally. Managers should set the way, allocate what is required, and support new policies against bullying and harassment.

Myth 4: POSH Training Is Just A Legal Formality

Simply treating POSH training as a checkbox exercise dilutes the intention of the training itself. It is not solely about compliance with the law; it is about establishing a culture of trust, empathy, and respect in the workplace. Effective training has the potential to diminish incidents of harassment, increase gender equality in the workplace, and improve employee morale and employee retention. Conversely, inadequate or minimalistic training can leave companies with legal risk in the event of a complaint.

Myth 5: Small Companies Are Exempt From POSH Training

This is a risky misunderstanding. All workplaces, regardless of size, industry, or employee mix, are subject to the POSH Act as long as there is one woman employed there. Whilst organizations with more than ten employees have to form an internal committee (IC), even small firms must implement awareness through training programs and preventative actions.

Myth 6: Only Women Can File Complaints

Under the POSH Act, only women are legally protected complainants. However, in the interest of workplace fairness, many progressive companies have started expanding their internal policies to include individuals of all genders in their grievance redressal mechanisms. POSH training should reflect diversity and inclusivity by promoting respectful behavior for all employees, irrespective of gender.

Myth 7: POSH Training Is Boring And Irrelevant

Current POSH training efforts are active, experiential, and practice-oriented. They move beyond legal terminology and offer employees examples of real-world case studies, full role-plays, videos, and quizzes to help employees distinguish, respond, and report inappropriate behavior. These sessions are not monotone or stale. They are riveting and often a paradigm shift for training participants.

Myth 8: Sexual Harassment Only Means Physical Advances

The POSH Act has a broad definition of sexual harassment. It includes not only physical contact but also verbal, visual, emotional, and psychological forms of harassment—like inappropriate jokes, suggestive comments, lewd emails, stalking, or sharing offensive content. POSH training helps employees recognize subtle or nonphysical forms of harassment that often go unnoticed or unreported.

Myth 9: POSH Training Is Only For Corporate Offices

POSH training is mandatory for all workplaces, including factories, schools, hospitals, start-ups, government offices, NGOs, and even domestic workplaces. Remote teams and hybrid setups are also not exempt. In fact, the rise of virtual workspaces has increased the need for POSH training on digital conduct, virtual harassment, and online boundaries.

Myth 10: Filing A POSH Complaint Will Ruin The Complainant’s Career

This myth contributes to the underreporting of harassment claims. The POSH Act has robust protections around confidentiality, protections against retaliation, and the right for the complainant to be heard. Proper training supports an environment where victims feel they can confidently report, and organizations have the skill to handle complaints seriously, confidentially, and sensitively.

Why Debunking These Myths Matters?

Believing in these myths can be costly—for both individuals and organizations. Ignorance about the training can lead to:

1. Legal penalties and reputational damage.
2. Toxic workplace culture.
3. High employee attrition and absenteeism.
4. Loss of trust among stakeholders.

On the other hand, implementing POSH training effectively:

1. Builds a culture of respect and inclusion.
2. Reduces workplace harassment incidents.
3. Protects the organization from legal risk.
4. Empowers employees with knowledge and confidence.

How To Conduct Effective POSH Training?

To make the most out of your POSH training programs:

1. Customize the training to your industry, team size, and work model (in-office, hybrid, or remote)
2. Use certified trainers or partner with professional organizations.
3. Incorporate interactive modules, role plays, case studies, and assessments.
4. Ensure training for all levels—employees, management, and IC members.
5. Keep documentation and training records to prove compliance during audits.
6. Schedule refresher training annually or biannually.

Final Thoughts

POSH training is not simply a legal obligation, it is a commitment to your people and to the values of your workplace. End the myths and recognize the true role of POSH training, and organizations will create safer, happier, and more inclusive workplaces.

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