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New Delhi: Recently a social media scandal getting viral in which it hasinvolving eyewear company Lenskart has led to a broader discussion of the rules and religious expression in the workplace, following a viral post that alleged that the company had permitted certain religious apparel but banned others.
The problem arose when an image that supposedly belonged to the internal grooming or style guide of Lenskart started spreading on the Internet. The document proposed that employees may wear things like the hijab but it put a limit on the symbolic things like bindi, tilak and kalawa. This immediately attracted the attention of people and caused a resounding response in the social media.
Some users were found questioning the fairness of such rules, some terming it as a case of double standards. The controversy escalated when the author and social media commentator Shefali Vaidya posted the screenshot and questioned whether the company was treating religious displays in a different manner. Her post was viral and attracted criticism and boycotting the brand.
And when this backlash intensified, Peyush Bansal, the founder and CEO of Lenskart intervened to deal with this situation. In his reaction on social media, he explained that the document which are circulating online is not the present policies of the company.
According to Bansal, the company does not place any restrictions on religious expression such as wearing bindi or tilak. He has said that the viral document was outdated or incorrect and cannot reflect the current guidelines of Lenskart.
He also recognized that it was possible that there were some problems with the wording of a previous version of the grooming policy. In his opinion, such guidelines had already been amended within the company, long before the scandal had become public. He explained it as a linguistic failure as opposed to a conscious move to limit a certain religious practice.
In his explanation, Peyush Bansal has added that Lenskart has been a proponent of diversity and inclusivity at the workplace. He said that employees across the country are freely express their culture and faith while working in the company’s stores. He also said the company is always revising its policies and enhancing them.
The scandal also brought to view the speed at which unverified information can go viral and affect a company. The concerned document was not verified separately, but it resulted in a significant amount of criticism hours after becoming viral.
Curiously enough, it is reported that the previous version of the policy might have contained elaborate guidelines regarding appearance, such as the regulations concerning religious symbols, clothing and accessories. Nevertheless, Lenskart does not insist that these old documents must be regarded as the reflection of its actual practice.
Although the clarification has been made, the debate has not totally subsided. Other users of the social media have also called on the company to publish its most recent grooming policy in order to be transparent. Others have called on brands to be more mindful in writing the internal policies, particularly in a diverse country like India.
This episode again highlights the increasing role of social media in the formation of the opinion of people. Even one viral post can turn into a discussion on a national level, and companies must act fast and articulately.
In the case of Lenskart, damage control and regaining trust seems to be the priority at this point. By speaking out about it, the company has tried to assure the employees as well as the customers that they respect all religions equally.
In a nation where the identity and cultural symbols are extremely important, the incident is a reminder that even internal company policies may become a subject of a publicly discussed debate. It also demonstrates the role of clarity and communication in the modern world of digital communication in preventing misunderstandings.
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