#WeTwo: My boss asked me if I would be comfortable sharing his room…

New Delhi: In a bid to create equal workplaces free of harassment, #WeTwo presents real cases from the worlds of advertising, media and marketing, with constructive expert analysis for a better way forward.

In the second submission of this series, Turmeric Consulting’s CEO and Founder, Roopa Badrinath, reflects on an alleged case of aggression following the rejection of arguably sequel advances. 

Here's the second case/submission: 

“I was shocked when my reporting boss at a relatively new job asked if I would be comfortable sharing a room while we covered a conference in another city. I insisted on a separate room. At the end of the first day, he invited me to join him in his room for a drink. I made an excuse to meet someone and left the hotel. 

From then on, he criticised me at every opportunity despite my performance at work, which was appreciated by others. He was among the senior-most in the company. He was generally abusive, irrespective of gender but I felt he was especially harsh on me. I opened up to my husband and some close friends. But there were times when I wished there was someone I could speak to within the company. It was a small organisation with no HR. Thankfully, I was in another city during that entire stint. I'm glad it's over.”

Was it appropriate for the boss to ask a female subordinate if she would be comfortable sharing his room? 

Roopa Badrinath: No, it was entirely inappropriate for the boss to ask a female subordinate to share his room. Any unwelcome verbal conduct, whether directly or by implication, is of a sexual nature or any behaviour or request that creates an uncomfortable environment for an employee, especially one that involves a male superior making suggestive or inappropriate requests to a female subordinate, can be construed as sexual harassment. Asking a female employee to share a room crosses professional boundaries and can be perceived as coercive or as an abuse of authority.

Would it have been acceptable if they had been of the same gender? 

Roopa Badrinath: Several organisations allocate shared rooms for employees of the same sex during their annual conferences. This continues to be a routine practice to save costs. While it is a common practice in India to allocate shared rooms, it is high time that organisations recognise that it might not be comfortable for people to share rooms with colleagues.  Here I am not even alluding to sexual impropriety.  It is very important to recognise the personal spaces of individuals. Organisations, regardless of size, should ensure that employees have separate accommodations, as it maintains boundaries and prevents potential discomfort or misunderstandings.

This happened in a small organisation with no official HR team. How should such companies provision to address such issues? 

Roopa Badrinath: People are the most critical assets, especially in the knowledge industry like advertising.  We have stringent process audits for physical assets, IT assets, financial transactions, while I am not sure how many companies have similar audits for HR processes (unless it is compliance related). With respect to not having an HR presence in the organisation, all that I would like to ask such companies is – will you run the company without a CFO/Finance Head? No, right?  Then why do you run a company without an HR representative? Why has HR become dispensable? Your business will come to a standstill without the right talent and culture. 

My first piece of advice is to invest in a good HR professional.  If you cannot have an in-house HR resource, then invest in a fractional HR professional who can amplify the voices of the employees. Ensure that the company has robust policies that clearly state what is acceptable behaviour by all, irrespective of their pay grades.  Make sure that there is enough awareness created about POSH through an accredited external vendor. Let the employees know that sexual harassment has no place in the company and there is zero tolerance towards it.  

If the company is so small (less than 10 employees) that they do not have an Internal Committee (IC), the company can make it known to the employees about the Local Committee (LC) which is established by the Government in every district level where the employees can take their grievances to. This becomes very useful, especially when the respondent happens to be the employer, owner, or senior-most leader of the organisation, and where there is a feeling that the Internal Committee (IC) may not be impartial as it could be under the influence of the employer. Last but not least, the leaders of the company are like lighthouses—they need to role model behaviours that signal appropriate behaviours for all to emulate in the organisation.  We do not need compliance to be snapping at our heels to do the right thing, which is to provide safe spaces for all to thrive irrespective of their gender.

What should the woman employee have done when she sensed that she was being targeted?

Roopa Badrinath: When there is a power dynamic involved, it might not be very easy to raise concerns for a woman employee.  The woman would have been a little confused, as the senior leader in question was generally abusive to everybody.  She would have initially struggled to identify the lines that were being crossed, while all along she would have been asking herself if she was over-reacting.  When women thwart the advances of men at workplaces and, as a result, they feel targeted, I would recommend they take the following steps:

Document: Keep a record of conversations, emails, or other forms of communication that could help identify inappropriate behaviour or unfair treatment.  Sometimes this can also help the woman sort out her thoughts and feelings that she is overreacting, as data never lies.

Reach out internally: If there is no HR, she could take another respected senior leader within the company into confidence.  

File a complaint with the LC: If the internal route was not available, she could have approached the Local Committee (LC) as per the POSH Act.

Could she have perceived the situation wrongly? Was it possible that she was not being targeted for the stated reasons?

Roopa Badrinath: It is important to validate the perception of the employee. Based on the description, the invitation to share a room and subsequent invitation for drinks in his room clearly signal inappropriate behaviour that breaches professional boundaries. The harsh treatment afterwards, particularly in a setting where others appreciated her work, strongly indicates retaliation, which is often an attempt to exert power or punish a refusal to comply.  Perception is shaped by experiences, and the behaviour described here is unprofessional, especially in light of the unequal power dynamic.

How should the male boss in question be sensitised?

Roopa Badrinath: 

POSH Act training & counselling: He must undergo comprehensive POSH training and counselling, specifically tailored to help him understand appropriate workplace behavior, professional boundaries, and the consequences of harassment.

Power dynamics: He should be educated on how to use authority responsibly not just with women but in general as well, considering he has a reputation for being abusive.

Empathy and respect training: He should be trained in creating an inclusive and respectful environment for all.  His inappropriate or abusive behaviour should be directly confronted with the message that it will not be tolerated.

This happened in a media outfit. Is the sector more prone to such behaviours than others? 

Roopa Badrinath: The media industry often involves late hours, travel, and high-stress situations, which can blur professional and personal boundaries. While these factors might make such industries prone to such behaviour, this issue exists across all sectors. What is critical is the organisational culture, policies, and adherence to legal frameworks like POSH that determine whether inappropriate behaviour is handled or ignored.

Any other perspectives you may wish to add...

Roopa Badrinath: 

Intersectionality of harassment: The case highlights not just sexual harassment but also a hostile work environment created by retaliatory criticism and abusive behaviour. The combination of power dynamics, gender, and lack of organisational safeguards magnifies the issue.

Cultural sensitisation: Organisations must foster respectful professional environments, regardless of gender. Women often face a double burden of overt harassment and subtle forms of retaliation when they refuse inappropriate advances. Sensitizing leaders on POSH, boundaries, and power dynamics is essential in preventing such cases.

Informal channels for grievance: While the employee had personal support from friends and family, the absence of an internal support mechanism or HR amplified her feelings of isolation and vulnerability. Small companies need to create confidential informal channels where employees can report concerns safely.

Also read: 

#WeTwo: 'He was way senior. I was silenced. He is still there.'

#WeTwo: “These are opportunities to uphold positive culture, compassion and moral intelligence”

Have a story to tell? We, together, need to speak up for equal workplaces. Write in to: wetwo@bestmediainfo.com.

About #WeTwo

• #WeTwo will not name the survivor or accused, or their organisations, without the written permission of the survivor. 

• Where individuals / organisations are named, we will invite all sides of the story – survivor, accused and that of the organisation.

• We will not shame the survivors or assume guilt.

• We will attempt to verify claims made through multiple sources. Cases that are deemed plausible / commonplace will take precedence, guided by a panel of women professionals and industry leaders.

• #WeTwo will be gender-agnostic and speak up for all sides, including alleged cases of "false sexual harassment complaints" that cost career growth. 

• #WeTwo will also guide survivors or organisations that seek help towards professionals for psychological/legal/HR counsel.

• #WeTwo is a BestMediaInfo initiative, conceptualised in partnership with independent content consultant Gokul Krishnamoorthy.
  

Up next on #WeTwo: Dr AL Sharada, Population First