eNewsletter

A recent report by the World Economic Forum found that India ranks 113 out of 135 countries in gender equality in the work place.  Only 14% of the companies in India have 40% or more women among their employees.  Women who are employed are mostly in the entry and middle levels of management, with very few in senior management.

There are many cultural reasons  why India faces such a wide gender gap.  In India, male employees tend to find it difficult to accept a female as their boss.  Indian women are expected to wait for opportunities while Indian men are encouraged to seek them out.  Indian women are also expected to balance taking care of their households along with their jobs.  However, workplaces are often inflexible, making it difficult for Indian women to work and take care of their children.

The Indian government has been working to narrow the gender inequality in the workplace.  Programs that involve mentoring, employee resource groups, and flexible work timing options have been implemented across India.  However, the government has difficulty sustaining commitment to these programs and has not been tracking their success rates.

Multinational companies in India have been increasingly conscious about narrowing the gender gap.  Many companies have begun explicitly directing their human resource departments to look for female managers.  As top talent is getting harder to find in India, Indian women can be an important resource for HR executives.