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PoSH complaints in India’s tech sector have nearly quadrupled, but most companies still treat compliance as paperwork. As reporting rises across IT firms, weak implementation, legal risks, and trust gaps are emerging as major challenges for startups and HR leaders. PoSH complaints in India’s tech sector have nearly quadrupled in just a few years.Yet, most companies still treat compliance as paperwork rather than practice. PoSH, or the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act, was designed to ensure safe workplaces. But the gap between policy and practice is widening, turning compliance into one of the most overlooked risks in India’s startup ecosystem. Recent data shows a worrying trend. Complaints under the PoSH Act have risen sharply, with top IT firms alone seeing a near fourfold increase by April 2026. The table below shows how complaints have grown in recent years: This growth highlights a clear gap between the law and what happens in reality. While more people are reporting issues, the system is struggling to keep up. Many firms view PoSH as mere paperwork. They believe having a policy is enough. But this is not true. Indeed, a report from April 2026 found that India's PoSH Act enforcement is seen as weak, scoring only 34 out of 100. This suggests that while policies exist, their real-world impact is often limited. Certain sectors face more issues than others. In FY25, two sectors stood out for having the most complaints: This shows that even in large, modern firms, harassment remains a major problem. Work has changed a lot. Many people now work from home or a mix of home and office. This 'hybrid' way of working brings new dangers. This shift makes PoSH compliance forremote and hybrid teamsa key challenge for HR and startup leaders. It means companies need to adapt their policies to cover these new ways of working. HR teams are very important for PoSH. How they act affects how staff feel about reporting problems.Kanungosays, "The HR leadership decides whether PoSH remains a compliance function or becomes an employee safety mechanism." He also points out, "What matters most for employees is observing how leaders react to their grievances rather than what is stated in the policy documents." If staff do not trust HR, they will not report harassment, even if policies are in place. Some people might think that younger, modern workplaces are naturally safe from harassment. This is not true.Kanungowarns, "It is erroneous to assume that an environment made up of younger or progressive employees would not require the implementation of PoSH." Harassment can happen anywhere, no matter the age or views of the staff. Not following PoSH rules can cause major legal trouble. The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) is key here. She warns, "If incorrectly established, all its investigations will become legally void." The law also has clear punishments.Lakhanpal states, "Section 26 prescribes a fine up to ₹50,000, with a double fine for repeat offenders, ev