Nearly 44% of workplace sexual harassment cases occur outside office premises: Report

Over 40 percent of workplace sexual harassment incidents in India take place outside regular office premises, including during business trips, company events, offsite meetings and after-hours gatherings, according to a new research report by workplace compliance firm POSH at Work by The Legal Swan.

The findings also point to gaps in employees' understanding of workplace sexual harassment rules. Nearly one in four employees surveyed did not know whether their organisation had a Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) policy. The findings are based on two reports, The Quiet Crisis and The Silent Gap. While the first examined 103 workplace sexual harassment complaints handled in 2025, the second surveyed 6,353 participants, including employees, students, managers, Internal Committee members and trainers.

The research highlights the challenges companies face in implementing the POSH framework, even when formal policies and complaint redressal mechanisms are in place. It also points to the need for businesses to extend harassment prevention measures beyond office buildings.


Nearly 44% of incidents take place outside office premises

The Quiet Crisis examined where incidents took place, the nature of allegations and the findings of Internal Committees. According to the report, 43.69% of reported incidents occurred outside physical office premises. Another 25.24% involved both office premises and extended workplace settings. These locations included company offsites, business travel, hotel rooms and gatherings organised after working hours.

Most complaints involved hostile work environments

The research also found that 90.20% of complaints involved hostile work environment harassment. These complaints included persistent inappropriate comments, unwanted messages, offensive jokes and repeated violations of personal boundaries.

The findings suggest that workplace harassment is not limited to physical misconduct. Repeated verbal and digital behaviour can also contribute to a hostile working environment.

One in four employees unaware of POSH policy

The second report, The Silent Gap, surveyed 6,353 participants to assess their awareness and understanding of workplace sexual harassment regulations. It found that 24.86% of employees surveyed did not know whether their organisation had a POSH policy. The survey also identified gaps in employees' understanding of what constitutes sexual harassment. As many as 38.45% of respondents did not recognise abusive or vulgar language at the workplace as a potential form of sexual harassment.

Confidentiality remains a concern

The reports also highlighted concerns about the confidentiality of workplace sexual harassment complaints. According to the survey, 54.27% of employees and 41.14% of managers said they would discuss an ongoing harassment complaint with colleagues. Under the POSH Act, confidentiality requirements cover information related to complaints, inquiries and proceedings.