A colleague who stands a little too close to you. A manager who says nice things but is really talking about you behind your back. WhatsApp message that has nothing to do with work.
These could be early signs of sexual harassment at work. Yet people don’t recognise them because the behaviour is presented as harmless, friendly or just part of office culture.
In Indian workplaces Arre, it was a joke or Don’t take it personally or He’s like that with everyone are phrases used to dismiss inappropriate behaviour.
But workplace harassment isn’t always loud, obvious or dramatic. Sometimes it starts small — boundary violations that build up over time until they become intrusive.
The real question isn’t whether someone meant to make you uncomfortable. It’s whether it was unwelcome and sexual in nature.
Knowing these warning signs will enable employees to spot inappropriate behaviour; respond confidently and when support is needed.
What Is Sexual Harassment at Work? Understanding the Behaviour Before Recognising the Warning Signs
Sexual harassment at work is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature which violates a person’s dignity, causes discomfort or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
It could be physical contact, spoken words or gestures, digital communication or misuse of professional authority.
In India the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 also known as PoSH Act provides legal framework to prevent and redress sexual harassment against women in workplaces.
Section 2(n) defines sexual harassment as unwelcome acts or behaviour (physical contact and advances, demands or requests for sexual favours, sexually coloured remarks, showing pornography etc.) other unwelcome physical verbal or nonverbal conduct of a sexual nature. Section 3 also covers circumstances where promises of preferential treatment are made threats of detrimental treatment and hostile work environments related to sexual harassment.
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Harassment is not confined to offices. The law defines workplace very broadly and can include work-related travel and places visited while employed.
Let’s look at the warning signs through situations employees may face in their everyday professional life.
15 Signs of Sexual Harassment at Work You Should Know
1. Unwanted Physical Contact: When a Friendly Gesture Crosses Personal Boundaries
A handshake is a professional greeting. But what if someone keeps touching your shoulder? Or holds your hand too long? Or insists on hugging you even though you don’t want to be hugged?
Unwanted physical contact is one of the most recognisable signs of sexual harassment at work.
For example, unwanted hugging; kissing; massaging; touching someone’s waist or brushing against their body deliberately.
Imagine an employee whose colleague keeps putting his hand on her lower back while she’s talking (even when she moves away). That might be taken as friendliness but repeated unwanted touching can be harassment.
What to notice: Physical contact doesn’t become okay just because the person who initiates it feels friendly about it. Consent, context and nature of conduct all matter.
2. Invasion of Personal Space: When Someone Uses Proximity to Create Discomfort
Picture sitting at your desk and a colleague repeatedly leans over you unnecessarily, stands too close or positions themselves so that moving away is difficult.
This behaviour can feel threatening — especially if it happens often or is power-based.
Blocking someone’s path; cornering them in a meeting room; standing too close even though they are visibly uncomfortable.
Not every instance of close physical proximity is sexual harassment. Crowded lifts, shared workstations and busy office spaces all involve limited personal space.
But deliberate and unwanted proximity to a sexual element can be dangerous too.
What to look for: Is it intentional? Repeated? Unwanted? With suggestive comments or gestures?
3. Inappropriate Comments and Sexual Jokes: When Humour Becomes an Excuse
Office humour can build relationships. Jokes that repeatedly sexualise, embarrass or demean someone can create an uncomfortable workplace.
Examples might be sexually explicit jokes, comments on a colleague’s body, suggestive remarks about clothing or inappropriate discussions about someone’s private life.
For example, commenting on a colleague’s presentation skills is professional feedback. Talking about how attractive they looked during the presentation all the time is quite another thing.
In some workplaces people don’t object because they are afraid of being labelled as overly sensitive or unable to take a joke.
But just joking doesn’t mean inappropriate behavior is OK.
What to look out for: Humour is problematic when it introduces unwelcome sexual content, singles people out or makes employees feel humiliated or unsafe.
4. Persistent Romantic Advances: When Rejection Is Treated as a Negotiation
Asking a colleague out is not sexual harassment. Workplace relationships can develop naturally when interactions are mutual and respectful.
The problem occurs when someone refuses to accept a rejection.
Think of a colleague who asks you for dinner dates every week, sends romantic messages or pressures another employee to meet with them in private after being told it’s not mutual.
The behaviour may be moving from an invitation to unwanted pressure.
A senior employee might also use their professional status to make it harder for an employee to refuse such advances.
What to notice: If unwanted advances (sexual suggestions or workplace pressure) are ongoing, harassment may be happening.
A refusal should be respected without having to explain it again and again.
5. Suggestive Nicknames and Personal Remarks: When Familiarity Is Unwelcome
Workplaces tend to have informal communication styles. But if someone is repeatedly addressed in intimate or suggestive terms it becomes inappropriate.
Expressions like “sweetheart,” “darling” or “baby” may be particularly uncomfortable to hear without invitation in a professional setting.
It gets worse when the language is accompanied by flirtation, sexual suggestion or repeated disregard of objections.
For instance, an employee may repeatedly ask a manager to call her by name but the manager keeps using intimate nicknames in meetings.
What to notice: Context counts. A nickname doesn’t automatically create sexual harassment but unwelcome sexually suggestive language can.
6. Inappropriate Digital Communication: When Harassment Follows You Online
Sexual harassment doesn’t stop when employees log out of their office systems.
WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, Slack, email and social media have become part of professional communication. Unfortunately they can also be misused.
Examples include sending sexually explicit messages, posting explicit images, repeatedly making unwanted romantic approaches or having late night conversations that are inappropriate.
Imagine a manager who sends work messages first but then personal questions, suggestive emojis and requests for photos.
Even when messages are sent outside office hours, their link to the professional relationship may make them relevant to workplace harassment.
What to notice: Digital communication should have the same professional boundaries as face-to-face interaction.
7. Displaying Sexually Explicit Content: When the Work Environment Becomes Uncomfortable
A workplace can be hostile even if inappropriate content isn’t targeted at one employee.
Pornography images, sexually explicit videos or offensive sexual memes in official groups can make things uncomfortable.
For example employees may feel pressured to tolerate inappropriate material being circulated in a team WhatsApp group because senior colleagues are talking about it.
In India’s PoSH Act showing pornography is explicitly included in sexual harassment when the conduct is unwelcome.
What to recognise: Employees shouldn’t have to tolerate sexually explicit material as part of everyday workplace communication.
8. Sexual Favours in Exchange for Career Opportunities: When Professional Growth Comes With Conditions
One of the most serious signs of sexual harassment at work is when professional benefits are linked to sexual or romantic cooperation.
This is known as quid pro quo harassment (exchange of something for something).
Examples might be a manager telling you that promotion depends on agreeing to have a relationship with him/her or offering favourable assignments in return for sexual favours.
Such situations are especially problematic because the person making the demand might influence performance reviews, salaries or career progression.
An employee may feel forced to do so because refusing seems to have professional consequences.
What to notice: Career opportunities must be based on professional criteria not sexual or romantic demands.
9. Threats After Rejecting Advances: When Saying No Has Professional Consequences
Sometimes harassment becomes more obvious after an employee has turned down an unwanted advance.
A manager who used to encourage may suddenly threaten poor ratings, undesirable assignments or job insecurity.
For example, if an employee refuses repeated personal invitations she might be told that she is no longer a team player.
Such behaviour may be an attempt to misuse professional authority.
The PoSH Act includes threats of detrimental treatment and threats concerning employment status as circumstances relevant to sexual harassment.
What to recognise: An employee should not be threatened with career repercussions for refusing unwelcome sexual conduct.
10. Unfair Performance Reviews or Withheld Opportunities: When Retaliation Is Disguised as Management
Retaliation may not always be in the form of direct threats.
Sometimes it shows up in unexplained changes in performance ratings, withdrawn responsibilities or sudden exclusion from career opportunities.
Imagine an employee who gets positive feedback all the time but then is suddenly pulled from a key project when he/she rejects advances from a senior colleague.
A poor appraisal or missed promotion is not proof of harassment by itself. But if there’s a clear link between unwanted advances and bad treatment in the workplace that’s something to consider.
What to watch for: Patterns, timing, documentation of performance history and communication records can indicate whether a decision is legitimate or retaliatory.
11. Deliberate Exclusion and Isolation: When Workplace Relationships Become a Tool for Pressure
Being left out of meetings, team discussions or important projects can impact an employee’s confidence and professional development.
When exclusion follows a rejected sexual advance or harassment complaint it raises concerns about retaliation.
For example, a team member who used to go to client meetings might suddenly stop receiving invitations after reporting inappropriate behaviour.
Colleagues might also distance themselves because they don’t want to upset a powerful manager.
Not every exclusion is harassment. But exclusion due to sexual misconduct or a complaint should be considered harassment.
What to recognise: Workplace decisions shouldn’t be based on punishment for someone asserting boundaries (legitimate business requirements).
12. Sexually Suggestive Gestures and Non-Verbal Behaviour: When Actions Speak Without Words
Sexual harassment does not always involve direct conversation.
Sexual gestures repeated too often, suggestive facial expressions, staring or deliberately displaying sexualised material can cause discomfort.
For example, an employee may see a colleague making suggestive gestures during meetings repeatedly or staring at specific parts of their body.
These behaviours are hard to pin down because the person doing it denies that there is any inappropriate intention.
But non-verbal conduct of sexual nature is recognized under PoSH Act if unwelcome.
What to notice: Just because no words were spoken doesn’t mean inappropriate conduct cannot take place.
13. Pressure to Attend Personal Meetings: When Work Invitations Have Hidden Expectations
Professional networking, client dinners and business travel are all part of corporate life.
However, when a colleague or senior employee repeatedly pressures someone to attend private meetings (not for legitimate professional reasons) that is unacceptable.
For example, a manager might say an employee must meet alone in a hotel room or private residence to talk about career opportunities when the employee asks for an office meeting.
This kind of behaviour is particularly worrying when accompanied by romantic or sexual overtures, secrecy or implied career consequences.
What to notice: An invitation to a meeting is not harassment by definition. Purpose, setting, pressure and surrounding behaviour all determine whether it is a warning sign or not.
14. Changes in an Employee’s Behaviour: When Distress May Signal an Underlying Problem
Not every warning sign comes from the person doing the inappropriate behaviour.
Sometimes changes in behaviour of an employee may indicate that something is wrong.
A confident employee may start avoiding certain colleagues, withdrawing from meetings or asking for frequent changes to work arrangements.
Other possibilities are anxiety, difficulty concentrating, absenteeism or reduced workplace participation.
But these signs can have many causes (workload, personal circumstances or health problems etc.) so they are not evidence of sexual harassment by themselves.
Managers and colleagues need to respond with empathy not assumptions.
What to recognise: big changes, confidential support and employees can express concerns without pressure.
15. Fear of Reporting Inappropriate Behaviour: When Silence Becomes Part of Workplace Culture
One of the most common warning signs is a workplace where employees feel unable to speak about inappropriate behavior.
Statements like “Don’t complain, it will affect your career” or “This person is too senior to question” can discourage employees from seeking help.
An employee might be silent because he/she fears losing their job, damaging professional relationships or being judged by colleagues.
This fear is especially hard for interns, contract workers, employees on probation and people who are financially dependent on their employment.
A workplace where employees cannot raise concerns safely allows misconduct to continue.
What to recognise: Employees should have clear reporting channels; fair complaint procedures and protection from intimidation.
Subtle Signs of Sexual Harassment at Work: Why the Early Warning Signals Matter
Some of the most troubling workplace situations don’t start with obvious misconduct.
They might start with personal questions being asked too often; unwanted compliments or requests for private meetings. Over time the behaviour can become more intrusive.
This is not to say every awkward conversation, compliment or friendly interaction is harassment.
The difference is in the kind of behaviour (is it welcome?), the surrounding circumstances and misuse of authority.
Three questions can help employees assess a problematic interaction: 1. What did I do? 2. What happened? 3. Why did it happen?
- Is it OK to do this? Has the person said no or refused an advance or otherwise indicated that interaction is unwanted?
- Is there sexual content? Does the conduct include sexual suggestions, unwanted intimacy, explicit material or inappropriate physical contact?
- Is there pressure or power imbalance? Could the person’s professional authority make refusal difficult or result in consequences?
Repeated behaviour is not always required. A single serious incident may be sexual harassment.
Knowing these distinctions lets employees know when there are real problems without treating every uncomfortable interaction as a violation of law.
What Does India’s PoSH Act Say About Workplace Sexual Harassment?
Recognising inappropriate behaviour is the first step. Knowing what legal protections are available is just as important.
India’s PoSH Act 2013 was enacted to protect women from sexual harassment at work and mechanisms for prevention and complaint redressal.
The Act covers women across employment arrangements (regular employees, temporary workers, contract workers, trainees etc) and other categories recognised under law.
Here are some important provisions employees need to know.
Who Can File a Complaint Under the PoSH Act?
An aggrieved woman can file a complaint against workplace sexual harassment under the Act subject to its provisions.
The law protects women whether they are permanently employed or not. It also applies to women in organised and unorganised sectors.
People of any gender can be harassed sexually but the PoSH Act protects women only. Organisations can have gender inclusive policies so complaints from other employees can also be dealt with.
What Is the Internal Committee?
Organisations with ten or more employees have to constitute an Internal Committee (IC) under the Act.
The committee receives complaints, conducts inquiries and makes recommendations under the prescribed procedure.
For some workplaces (where there is no IC) eg. small factories with less than ten workers, complaints can be dealt with by district-level LC but also LC has jurisdiction if complaint against employer.
What Is the Time Limit for Filing a Complaint?
Section 9 of the PoSH Act states that a written complaint should normally be filed within three months of an incident.
For a series of incidents the period is calculated from last incident.
The IC or LC may extend this deadline by up to another three months if it is satisfied that circumstances prevented the complainant from filing earlier (with reasons recorded in writing).
These provisions are explained in the official text of PoSH Act, 2013.
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What Should You Do If You Notice Signs of Sexual Harassment at Work?
Noticing a warning sign can leave employees unsure of what to do next.
Should they confront the person? Talk to HR? File a formal complaint? What if the person is their reporting manager?
There is no one response that fits every situation. But the following steps can help employees make decisions:
1. Document the Incidents and Preserve Relevant Evidence
Write down what happened (date, time, place, people involved and witnesses).
Save relevant emails, messages, screenshots and other communication records when it is lawful and appropriate to do so.
Documentation can help set a timeline and information if a formal inquiry is needed.
2. Communicate Boundaries When It Is Safe to Do So
If appropriate and safe, tell the person clearly that their conduct is unwelcome.
A simple statement like “Please don’t make personal comments about my appearance” might help to set a boundary.
But confronting the person is not a legal prerequisite for reporting harassment. Employees shouldn’t feel forced to confront someone who might endanger their safety or employment.
3. Report the Concern Through the Appropriate Channel
Employees can go to their organisation’s IC for PoSH Act matters.
They may also ask HR for guidance on the reporting process. If law allows LC jurisdiction that committee may be the forum.
If there is physical assault, threats or immediate danger then police assistance or emergency support may also be required.
4. Explore External Reporting and Support Options
Women can also use India’s government operated SHe-Box portal.
In August 2024 the Ministry of Women and Child Development launched SHe-Box in its updated form which provides a centralised online mechanism for workplace sexual harassment complaints to be filed and referred to committees.
Employees may also seek legal advice or support from appropriate assistance services.
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5. Seek Emotional and Professional Support
Workplace harassment can impact confidence, emotional well-being and professional relationships.
Someone you trust, a qualified counsellor or support professional may be able to help you talk about it.
Employees should also know that asking for help does not mean they have to tell people about it publicly.
How Can Employers Recognise and Prevent Sexual Harassment Before It Escalates?
Preventing sexual harassment doesn’t happen when a policy is posted during employee orientation.
Organisations must have an environment where respectful behaviour is understood; inappropriate behaviour is addressed; reporting mechanisms are available.
Employers should focus on practical prevention measures.
Hold regular awareness sessions. Employees need to know what sexual harassment is, how professional boundaries work and where complaints can be reported. Training should not be based solely on legal terminology (real examples should be used).
Train managers to spot warning signs. Managers need to know how to respond when employees raise concerns — don’t use dismissive language, ask unnecessary questions or jump to conclusions.
Improve Internal Committee capability. IC members need training in complaint handling, confidentiality, procedural fairness and sensitive communication.
Set clear digital communication standards. Workplace conduct policies should address inappropriate messages, explicit content and unwanted advances via professional communication channels.
Promote safe reporting. Employees need to know who to go to, how complaints are handled and what safeguards exist against intimidation or retaliation.
Treat complaints fairly and confidentially. Complainants and respondents should have a process that is fair to them (law), confidential (appropriate confidentiality) and fair (fair inquiry).
An effective prevention strategy is not measured by the number of complaints received; it’s how often an organisation educates employees, responds to concerns and promotes respectful behaviour.
Frequently Asked Questions About Signs of Sexual Harassment at Work
Can a single incident be considered sexual harassment?
Yes. A single incident can be sexual harassment if it meets the legal standard; repetition is not required (especially where there is serious unwanted sexual conduct).
Is commenting on a colleague’s appearance sexual harassment?
Not necessarily. An ordinary compliment is different from repeated sexually suggestive comments. What’s being said, whether it’s welcome and the context all count.
Can sexual harassment happen during work-from-home arrangements?
Yes. Unwelcome sexual conduct via video calls, work-related messages, emails or other digital interactions may be workplace sexual harassment (depending on the circumstances and whether it’s related to employment).
Can an intern or contract employee report sexual harassment?
Yes. The PoSH Act does not apply only to permanent employees; women in traineeship and contract work as well may be covered by it.
What if the person accused of harassment is a senior manager?
A person’s seniority does not relieve him from the law. Employees can go to the appropriate mechanism of complaint. Where the complaint is against employer then Local Committee may have jurisdiction under Act.
Can someone report harassment without screenshots or recordings?
Yes. A complaint doesn’t get invalidated just because there are no screenshots or recordings. The committee has to look at the evidence and circumstances through the prescribed inquiry process.
Conclusion: A Respectful Workplace Begins With Recognising What Is Not Acceptable
Sexual harassment doesn’t always announce itself with an obvious incident. It may start with an unwanted remark, a repeated advance, an inappropriate message or a professional boundary that someone will not respect.
Knowing what sexual harassment looks like at work allows employees to identify when behaviour needs attention, documentation or intervention.
For employers awareness must become action through policy, trained committees, reporting channels and prevention efforts that are consistent.
Because workplace safety isn’t just about avoiding misconduct.
It’s about building a culture where professionalism is valued; boundaries are understood and every employee can work with dignity.
At MAHAPOSH we believe meaningful PoSH compliance starts with awareness and grows through practical training, informed action and responsible workplace practices.
Visit MAHAPOSH to find out more about building safer, more respectful workplaces through PoSH awareness and professional learning.