According to KPMG India’s Women Leadership in Corporate India 2024, 23% of companies in India have 30% to 50% of women in leadership positions.
The representation of women in senior positions in India has been a topic of discussion for a long time. The challenges faced by women in the workplace are not just about professional expectations but also include societal norms and personal restrictions in today’s time.
There is no denying that India has come a long way in providing women with chances to stand on their own and gain financial independence. However, being a part of the workforce and acting as an active leader are two separate stories on their own.
Women in leadership is not just about creating a diverse workforce. It is about providing representation in a male-dominated society where women find themselves at an inherent disadvantage simply by the luck of birth.
Barriers to progress
When talking about women in workplace leadership, one has to understand that there is no singular solution to achieving equality in this situation. The challenges that women face to enter the workplace and then secure a position in leadership can be either systematic or cultural.
Unconscious bias and stereotypes
As per Aon’s 2024 Voice of Women Study India, 42% of women said they have faced bias or potential bias at work. The number serves to highlight that society’s expectations and assumptions about women do make it into the workplace and can hamper progress.
Even with similar qualifications and effort, women find themselves losing crucial opportunities to their male counterparts. The continuous cycle can not only be demoralising but can also affect their work. This, in turn, can make those with a negative bias feel validated, not realising that the reduced performance might be a result instead of being the cause.
Safety concerns
37% of working women stated in Aon’s survey that they have experienced insensitive behavior. Even more concerninly, 6% of the women admitted that they have been sexually harassed at work, but only half of them even reported said incidents.
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013, or PoSH, while a big step, highlights that women’s safety in the workplace remains a crucial issue.
Any employee, no matter their gender, has the right to feel safe and comfortable in their workplace. Unfortunately, this is not universally true for women in India, which can be a deterrent to many.
Unbalanced caregiving expectations
When it comes to the caregiving of a child, many in India still expect mothers to play a much more significant role than the fathers. Even women who were never barred from and even encouraged to join the workforce are often expected to be present in their children’s lives much more than working fathers.
Not only can this increase the pressure on women workers, but it can also affect their career opportunities. 75% of working women confessed that they suffered a setback of one-to-two years after going on a maternity leave, and 40% stated that that their pay and job roles were significantly impacted when they went on a maternity leave.
Women in Leadership
For women in leadership positions, the path to progress can be hard, with the difficulty often increasing exponentially. With increasing personal and professional responsibilities, it gets harder to break the bias and stereotypes.
As per Aon’s report, 34% of women in leadership positions confessed to facing discrimination. This is twice the number of women in entry-level positions who found themselves in similar situations.
In Quantum Hub’s Women in Leadership in Corporate India report, it was revealed that the representation of women in leadership had decreased to 23.2% as of January 2024 when compared to 25.2% in 2021.
However, both of these numbers are significantly higher than the 18.8% in 2016. When observed as a pattern, it is evident that women’s representation in the workplace has grown at an impressive rate.
As per KPMG India, 51% of indian companies have achieved gender diversity in their C-suite positions. The number highlights the country’s own determination to break the gender barriers and ensure diversity in the workplace. With strategic planning and embracing flexibility, women’s representation in India will only continue to rise.
Acknowledging the gender bias
In order to truly ensure female representation in one’s company, the first step should be to acknowledge the problem. Shying away from the realities of the workplace and society at large can often do more harm than good.
Proper discussion regarding the obstacles for women in the workplace creates a path towards awareness and transparency. A company that acknowledges the struggles of women is often seen in a better light by its employees and can create strategies rooted in reality.
Providing flexibility and resources
Given society’s expectations of women and the personal responsibilities that they often endure, companies should take steps to accommodate these needs. Changing how society functions is not a task for a single day, but a company can ensure equality in the workplace by taking this into consideration and providing options that allow female employees to be productive.
Companies can also provide women-centric resources that allow women to remain in step with their male counterparts and learn the ins and outs of leadership. The challenges may remain, but with proper resources, women can overcome them to become the leaders they are meant to be.