NIVEDITA NANDA WALKS THE POSH TALK WITH LEARNNOVATORS

ABOUT NIVEDITA NANDA:

Nivedita Nanda is the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) at Kaya Limited, where she is responsible for nurturing a distinctive work culture that offers a strategic advantage to business.

Nivedita is an HR leader with a rather unique background – in defense, health, infrastructure, and retail. She began her career as Pilot Officer with the Indian Air Force. She then decided to move to the corporate sector. Before joining Kaya, she served as Head — People Office at Future Retail Limited, where she led the HR function for 28,000 employees.

She also worked with Jindal Stainless and Praxair Indian in various capacities. She was part of the founding team of Reliance Health, where she led the launch of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and spearheaded the entire HR framework.

Nivedita holds an MBA in Human Resources from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. She also holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology from Utkal University.

ABOUT THIS INTERVIEW SERIES:

Walking the POSH Talk with Learnnovators is an interview series that features outstanding HR leaders who are pioneers of workplace practices that ensure safety, equality, diversity in their organisations. Specifically, these HR leaders share their experiences related to the implementation of Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) compliance within their workplaces.

Join us on this exciting journey as we learn from their successes, as well as their setbacks and challenges, and seize the opportunity to hear their unique perspectives on the subject.

This initiative is part of Learnnovators’ commitment to helping organisations in India make their workplaces safe for their women employees.

THE INTERVIEW:

1. LEARNNOVATORS: Kaya Limited is a company that has devoted its entire business to ‘making women look and feel beautiful’. It’s an honor to have you Nivedita, a senior member of the organization, here today to discuss your experiences dealing with and eliminating sexual harassment at your workplace.

According to Deloitte India’s ‘Creating a safe work environment – Best practices to deal with sexual harassment at the work place’ survey report, around 71% of respondents identified “making information available on their company’s intranet or HR portal” as the most preferred way to spread awareness about sexual harassment and preventive behaviors. 52% of respondents indicated training programs as helpful in understanding what constitutes sexual harassment. In this context, we hear you say, “We take these things (workplace safety) very seriously and have all the necessary contingencies and support systems in place to help women feel safe.” What methods do you follow in your organization to raise awareness about sexual harassment? What works for you and what doesn’t?

NIVEDITA NANDA: At Kaya we have a multi-pronged approach to cascade information about POSH:

Induction & Orientation: Every new joinee is taken through Kaya Code of Conduct and Gender Neutral POSH at the time of joining the organization to make them aware of our policy and the mechanisms we have in place, whenever needed. They are introduced to the POSH committee as well as the mechanism to address any complaint.

Ombudsman Policy: In accordance with this policy, members can write to /call a helpline. The call goes to a confidential person and the management is obligated to revert to the member within 48 hours. This ensures that members feel comfortable to talk to someone and share their issues or challenges, if they face any. Since we guarantee protecting the identity of the resources, employees feel comfortable to confide in us freely.

Ready Reckoners: We have uploaded our POSH policy on our intranet as a ready reckoner for all employees. Additionally, along with the company ID card, we provide an additional card with company values and code of conduct to serve as a reminder.

Periodic Refreshers: We conduct periodic refreshers to reinforce behaviors that harbor a culture of respect, encouraging all employees to uphold Kaya’s Code of Conduct which focuses on creating a harassment free workplace and an equal opportunity workplace.

We believe that all the above interventions help us instill faith in our employees to share their concerns with us and are essential elements in creating a safe and happy workplace for our employees.

2. LEARNNOVATORS: Under the POSH Act, there is not much that the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) can recommend legally if a complaint comes up against an existing employee more than three months after the incident. This arrangement limits the ICC’s role to merely offering moral support in such scenarios. Have you faced challenges handling such situations so far at Kaya? If yes, what strategies did you follow to address these? If no, what strategies would you follow if they happen in future?

NIVEDITA NANDA: At Kaya, we have never let timelines decide the fate of a complaint as we understand that some employees may take time to muster courage to raise their voice. Kaya India stands committed to maintain a work environment free from all forms of harassment and discrimination for all members consistent with its commitment to conduct its business in accordance with principles of equality, equal opportunity, and human rights.

We believe, UNWELCOME is the key in defining sexual harassment. It is the impact and effect the behaviour has on the recipient that will define the behaviour as sexual harassment.

We once received a complaint against a senior member. On conducting the investigation, we stumbled upon a similar case that occurred in the past wherein the aggrieved employee had quit without raising any complaint. Even though the employee had resigned few months ago, it was important for us to hear the employee’s ordeal and ensure justice prevails.

To validate the same, a member of our POSH committee got in touch with the ex-employee and traveled to another city to speak to her for a detailed investigation on the matter. The time-lapse in the matter did not impact our investigation and action, as at Kaya, all reported matters are forwarded to the PoSH Committee for investigation within 3 days and not later than 7 days from receipt of the complaint, irrespective of how long ago the incident occurred.

3. LEARNNOVATORS: To quote from this case study, “Indian companies reported more cases of sexual harassment in FY 2019 compared to a year earlier. Data from BSE 100 companies showed a 14% increase in reports of sexual harassment complaints in FY 2019.” Would you agree that, despite the growing numbers, the fact that there’s increased POSH awareness is a positive sign? If not, how else would you look at it?

NIVEDITA NANDA: We believe that a spike in numbers demonstrates the increased levels of awareness in people and the willingness to break cultural/societal/self-imposed barriers by speaking up for themselves. As a country and society, we have consciously overlooked some aspects of harassment for the fear of stigma/being labelled. Breaking these shackles in itself is a movement of courage and a revolution in a way.

To witness men and women share their experiences and raise their voice against the unhealthy practices in their workplaces gives hope that we will be able to create a happier and healthier workplace for future generations. It also reiterates the fact that today men/women will not accept harassment as a way of life, but as an offense that needs to be reported.

4. LEARNNOVATORS: When it comes to POSH initiatives, people in key positions can not only influence those within their organizations but also inspire the outside world to take action. In this context, it is inspiring to see messages (such as this one from Anand Mahindra) that advocate taking a firm stand to ensure a zero-tolerance policy against sexual predators at workplaces. How engaged is the top management at Kaya in influencing your POSH initiatives?

NIVEDITA NANDA: We are proud to share that our Management Committee leaders are a part of the POSH Committee. They take active part in the investigation and stay up to date with the happenings of the case. They also reassure employees that any concern they raise will be treated independently, with confidentiality and without any victimization.

As the CHRO, I constantly engage with the frontline teams and encourage them to express their concerns, if any, by seeking help from the mechanisms we have in place. The CEO himself has an email ID ceospeak@kayaindia.net that employees can directly connect with to discuss any issues.

5. LEARNNOVATORS: You say, “’Empowering women’ is not just a buzzword for Kaya… we’ve always been a women-centric company; not just a principle that the company stands by but is reflected in the annual employee count; already more than 85% of Kaya’s employees are women; and women fill all critical positions and key roles.” As a company that is at the forefront of spearheading woman empowerment, we would like to have your thoughts on a recent view to widen the scope of the POSH Act to also include harassments related to gender bias (discriminatory acts that may not be of a sexual nature) happening at workplaces. Since we do not have any specific legislation for preventing or redressing these types of harassments, would you agree with the suggestion? If not, based on your experiences at Kaya, how do you think a system can be established within the country to help women handle these challenges at work?

NIVEDITA NANDA: A key manifestation of a pleasant and conducive work environment is respect for the individual, irrespective of the gender, disability or religious orientation of the member concerned. In order to sustain this strongly through creation of a better understanding, behaviours that go against mutual respect have been articulated at Kaya.

We strongly believe in conducting our business in an ethical manner as well as creating a work environment that is conducive to members and associates alike, based on our values and beliefs. While every organization may have a different sub-set of values and beliefs that govern their behavior, the core values of business largely remain consistent, making it crucial for all businesses to join hands in this endeavor.

Many organizations are doing great work in creating a culture of respect and harmony. Bringing all these organizations together to create one platform will make this cause bigger, creating awareness on this issue. I believe this will reduce the number of incidents on Sexual Harassment in the long run.

Many NGOs conduct workshops and engage with aggrieved employees. We must use their knowledge, skills and resources to build a stronger network that empowers women and men alike in their quest for creating a healthy workplace free from gender bias.

6. LEARNNOVATORS: As per the same view, there is a recommendation to ensure that half of the total members of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) need to be women, and in the case of multinational companies, to include members from the Indian branches. What do you think of this recommendation to ensure equal representation of women in the ICC? Is your ICC already designed this way to ensure equal women representation? If yes, what benefits and challenges have you experienced with this arrangement so far?

NIVEDITA NANDA: Having equal representation of women in ICC is important as most of the POSH cases registered have women as aggrieved individuals. Hence, it would make the women more comfortable to voice their concerns to other women rather than a committee filled with men, especially in industries where the gender diversity is skewed in favour of men.

At Kaya, being a women-centric organization, we have greater representation of women in the ICC which makes our committee seem more approachable to our employees.

7. LEARNNOVATORS: According to a recent announcement by the Central Government, “When changes are made to the IPC, the sections on crime against women will also be amended. The laws need to change with time, and sexual harassment of women at the workplace will be addressed through the IPC amendments also.” Given the limitations of the present POSH Act, what would be your suggestions to the government on updating the law?

NIVEDITA NANDA: Aligning internal policies with IPC will lead to more seriousness in following the desired behaviours listed by corporates. It will also ensure that anyone found guilty will be punished.

The law doesn’t speak about accountability and who can be held responsible if POSH is not followed. For instance, for any other statutory compliance, the Chairman/CEO of the organization is held responsible. However, for POSH we have no such accountability established.

Additionally, the way the audit firms are now getting audited by their competitors to avoid financial irregularities, we should have a system to audit organizations by neutral parties.

8. LEARNNOVATORS: We feel that a POSH-compliant organization does more than just ‘follow the law.’ It takes care of the concerns of its employees. It becomes a healthier, more secure workplace. It is a workplace where employees respect each other. In addition to ensuring a safe workplace for women, it’s inspiring to hear about the slew of benefits you offer your women employees (who, according to you, form the culture of your company) such as work-life balance initiatives, welcome-back options after sabbaticals, financial assistance programs, and mental health initiatives. It’s no surprise that Kaya won the ‘Great Place to Work, India’ award in 2018. What would be your message to inspire companies to make their workplaces preferred by women?

NIVEDITA NANDA: We believe that women bring with them emotional intelligence that is an essential quality in today’s workplace. Organizations should focus on how much there is to gain by hiring women instead of their life stage and how that would impact work.

At Kaya, we hire young women who go through all the changes in their life stages while working with us. We see that as an opportunity to provide them with an environment that is conducive to their continuous growth while maintaining a healthy work life balance. For this, we have created policies to support them.

We have a Policy Extended Time with Little Kayazens to enable our resources to be happy, focused at work and to continue being a valued member of the workforce without compromising on their family commitments or general wellbeing. This policy provides the following benefits:

• Employees are entitled for an additional three days leave, every year, up to the child’s third birthday (or 18, if the child is specially-abled)

• Parents can avail a flexible shift to attend their child’s PTA, annual days, sports days etc. This is limited to five days in a year.

• New mothers who resume work after maternity leave will have a work day shift of only six hours for three months after resuming work.

Many of our employees join work at an early age to support their family. Hence, we launched a policy for higher education to empower these employees to complete their education while working.

9. LEARNNOVATORS: It is inspiring to know that Kaya is a ‘Great Place to Work 2018’ certified company that has devoted its entire business to making women look and feel beautiful for almost a decade. With respect to our workplaces, we are sure you would agree that it’s important for everyone to join hands in making India a safer place for our women. How do you think Kaya is influencing the community towards making workplaces in our country not just safe but also inclusive for women?

NIVEDITA NANDA: Our brand purpose at Kaya is to “Make People Feel Beautiful And Confident” which applies to our customers and employees alike.

Our constant endeavour at Kaya is to ensure our workplace is not just safe but also inclusive for women.

At Kaya, we provide employment opportunities to women across the country, skilling them and making them financially independent.

We partner with NGOs like Salaam Bombay and ICICI Academy to provide employment to the lesser privileged.

We are opening a training academy where women from certain sections of the society will be given life skills and made employable.

At Kaya, we promote socio-economic and background diversity as our clinics have Dermatologists who are highly qualified and Kaya Therapists who have studied only till XII. It is only through their collaboration that Kaya can successfully achieve its business outcomes.

LEARNNOVATORS: Before we sign off, we’d like to thank you so much for your time today, Nivedita. We’ve had an amazing time listening to your insights on dealing with workplace harassment. We are confident that the community will immensely benefit from these takeaways. Thank you!