Breaking barriers: Creating inclusive workplaces for women in India

Despite progress in gender diversity, women remain significantly underrepresented in key industries like tech, finance, and engineering in India. Many organizations are recognizing the need for intentional strategies to improve female participation across all levels, from entry-level roles to leadership positions.

In this exclusive conversation, Delnaz Elavia, Practice Head - Consulting, Great Place To Work® India, shares her insights on how companies can build more inclusive workplaces. She discusses the structural changes needed to increase female leadership representation, the role of fair compensation in fostering equality, and how policies like paid parental leave and flexible work arrangements can improve retention. She also highlights the evolving role of DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) programs in addressing challenges unique to women and the growing importance of mental health conversations in corporate culture.

Women are still underrepresented in industries like tech, finance, and engineering in India. What initiatives or programs are proving effective in encouraging women to pursue careers in these male-dominated fields?

Organizations need intentional strategies and practices to improve the representation of women in sectors that have otherwise been very male-dominated. This involves actively targeting the bottom of the funnel and solving grassroots-level issues.

Amongst some of the larger employment-generating sectors, representation of women is limited to about 29% in Information Technology and about 22% in BFSI.
Tech organizations are partnering with educational institutes and investing in improving women’s participation in STEM courses (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), thereby improving women's access to such career opportunities. Their efforts are directed toward reducing gaps in knowledge and access to it through technology courses, hackathons, and coding programs.
These organizations are encouraging their employees, especially women, to mentor girls across schools and colleges they have tied up with. These have gone a long way in inspiring young girls to take up careers in these fields.
A tech organization has implemented a referral program that encourages associates to refer qualified female candidates, with a bonus ranging from 33% to 50%. This initiative builds upon their existing referral program and aligns with the company's goal of creating a more gender-diverse workplace.

While there has been some progress, women remain underrepresented in leadership roles across many sectors. What structural changes are needed to increase female representation in C-suite and boardroom positions in India?

The path to growth from entry-level to senior leadership roles has been rather tough for women. In senior leadership roles, the representation of women is a mere 16%, per a recent Great Place to Work study. Organizations need to ensure equitable opportunities and better workplace experiences for women across role levels to avoid losing talent and build a strong pipeline of women in leadership positions. It is crucial to establish a fair and transparent route for women to grow in their careers. In addition, organizations need to invest in better support for women through different life stages to prevent them from dropping out of the workforce and making it easier for them to return to work.

Our research shows that Best Workplaces have over twice the number of women CEOs compared to other organizations. Such organizations understand the need to have women as role models across levels to build a strong pipeline of leadership talent.
Most organizations lose women at certain life stage moments like marriage, maternity, eldercare, etc. Study trends relevant to your organization and create support systems to support women through these life stages. Organizations that have been able to reduce the drop-out rate of women have been able to do so by institutionalizing mentoring or buddy systems to support women through shifting life stages and policies, including flexible work options on a temporary or permanent basis.
The right mentoring and coaching programs also go a long way in preparing women for senior roles. The Best Workplace in the finance industry has implemented an internal leadership program exclusively dedicated to nurturing female leaders and managers. Through an extensive assessment process, they pinpoint individuals capable of taking on leadership roles and managerial responsibilities. To prepare these identified individuals for their future roles, they have designed a comprehensive six-month development plan. This plan encompasses several key components, including Engaging with Leadership, Effective Communication, Customized Workshops, Mentoring Self-Learning through Digital Simulations, Master Classes by Experts, Periodic Reviews, and Servant Leadership Programs Evaluations. This comprehensive development plan aims to ensure that these potential female leaders and managers are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and experiences to thrive in their future roles within the organization.
Understanding the challenges faced by returning women, the Best Workplace in the Engineering domain launched the Back In the Game (BIG) program. As an organization, they understand the challenges that individuals face when making their way back into the workforce after a career break. Through the BIG program, they aim to facilitate an empathetic and holistic approach, empower their employees to mitigate the situation and empower the Line Managers’ network and employees to make the return to work as smooth as possible. The benefits that are offered in this program are medical benefits, employee assistance programs on matters such as post-partum depression, behavioral health, legal and financial issues, etc. mentoring, options of flexible or part-time working, crèche facilities, and more.

What role does fair compensation play in fostering a culture of equality, and how can Indian companies implement these practices more effectively?

Fair compensation plays a huge role in building an inclusive culture and fostering equality for women employees in Indian companies. However, that requires structures and processes that take the bias out of how performance is measured.

Measuring success for women employees requires a holistic view of their career journey, using targeted metrics to address unique challenges and promote gender equity. Some of the best organizations are actively measuring and tracking pay parity across gender and other demographics and regularly take corrective action to reduce these gaps. These audits include an assessment of all aspects of pay, including bonuses, benefits, and promotions, to address the gaps holistically. Another way in which organizations are holding themselves accountable is by enhancing transparency and publishing pay ranges for different roles. They are investing in programs with leaders and managers to help them overcome unconscious and conscious biases.

We find, at Best Workplaces, that women's experiences are similar to those of men; 83% of women feel they're fairly evaluated, which is close to 84% of men.
Additionally, when organizations provide fair evaluations, clear leadership paths, and show care for well-being, women are 3x more likely to stay with their current organization.

What role do educational institutions, industry bodies, and government policies play in bridging the gender gap across various sectors in India?

Educational institutions, industry bodies, and government policies need to focus on empowering women to be able to bring their best and authentic selves to the workforce and feel included. This includes providing an environment that is mentally and physically safe and free of bias.

Institutes and organizations need to focus on dealing with bias in their approach through structural changes.
- Switching to blind hiring: Progressive organizations have now started moving towards blind hiring by removing identifiable information from job applicants' resumes, cover letters, or online profiles to reduce unconscious bias and promote diversity in the hiring process.
- Training on Unconscious Bias: Conduct regular training sessions for all employees, especially people managers, to address and
- mitigate unconscious biases at work.
At a Best Workplace in the retail industry, as part of the various measures taken for the safety of women riders, they are provided with a safety kit that includes pepper spray. Safe delivery zones for women riders were identified. They are also provided with direct one-to-one WhatsApp access with Regional Business Heads and HR Heads for immediate support on any issues that come up. Apart from this, the 'My Hero' safety device used to trace women delivery partners' locations when they are out for delivery is also deployed. During emergencies, the device is capable of recording and auto-sending the recorded messages to operations and HR Heads. They are also provided with flexible shift timings to enable them to balance both their personal and professional lives. Delivery hours are kept till 6 PM at the latest for all women as another safety measure. All efforts are being made to increase the number of female workers in delivery roles and to ensure that they are provided with a safe and happy work environment.
The onus is not only on educational institutes but also on the government and the industry to encourage women to participate in STEM and other traditionally male-dominated fields and provide career paths that set them up for success.

How do you see DEIB programs evolving in India to better address the unique challenges women encounter across different industries?

A significant portion of DEIB initiatives in Indian organizations are aimed at addressing unique challenges women encounter in the workplace.

The Best Workplace in the tech domain believes building an inclusive culture is essential to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. To achieve this, they conduct regular awareness sessions for managers to promote inclusive team culture and ecosystem. The practice was to not just force diversity toleration but for its celebration. To help achieve the same, they rolled out dedicated e-learning modules and virtual Instructor Modules, which include: Inclusion & Diversity E-learning - This 15-minute e-learning enables employees to understand the different types of diversities that exist in our society and how we can make our workspace inclusive. The course was also tagged as mandatory for all the employees. Regular completion status is shared with the program heads and BHRs to drive completion. 96% of the employees have completed this course, thereby ensuring ground-level DEI Awareness for the workforce.
Our research finds that organizations with a more diverse workforce, consistent and equitable experiences, and inclusive practices for women foster environments where the belonging of women employees thrives. Women in these workplaces report an 11% higher sense of belonging. Belonging isn’t just a feeling- it drives action, loyalty, and growth. When women feel a sense of belonging, they are:
- 2x more likely to experience a great workplace.
- 6x more likely to stay with their organization for a long time.
- 1x more likely to experience opportunities for career growth.

What role does leadership play in normalizing conversations around mental health, and how can companies create more open and supportive environments for women?

Leaders must consistently display their commitment to the cause through communication, resource allocation, and leading by example.

Communicate Commitment: Leaders must articulate their commitment to diversity and inclusion, creating a culture that values women’s contributions.
Resources Allocation: Allocate budget and resources specifically for women's development initiatives.
Lead by Example: Leaders set the tone for the rest of the organization by the actions they take or they don't, and everyone else tends to follow suit. Leaders can foster an inclusive culture by role-modeling behaviors that support women's growth. This includes sponsoring women, challenging biases, using inclusive language, and providing equal opportunities to all.

Include diversity and inclusion metrics in performance evaluations of senior leaders and managers. Link a portion of leadership bonuses or compensation to achieving gender equity goals.

The PowHer initiative at the Best Workplace in the tech industry empowers women at key career stages, focusing on leadership development through programs like MetaHERS. Leaders are accountable for their success, with progress tracked through performance evaluations. By tying leadership goals to advancing gender equity, PowHer reinforces the organization's commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

What role do policies like paid parental leave and flexible working hours play in creating a more inclusive workplace culture for women in India?

Offering flexibility and benefits that support women in balancing their work with their lives can fix the leaking bucket and improve the retention of women employees.

If employees are leaving due to work-life balance concerns when faced with social challenges, organizations should consider offering flexible work options like part-time or project-based work. Analyzing attrition trends and feedback from women to identify key reasons for attrition of employees and take prompt measures to address these.
Organizations must institutionalize policies that support women in balancing career and personal priorities. This includes extending paid parental leave, providing affordable childcare options (on-site creche, childcare leave), remote work options, and offering flexible work hours to help women remain active in the workforce.
Additionally, it is critical to support women during major life changes like childbirth and encourage them to return to work afterward. A Best Workplace in the tech industry has a Maternity Engagement Plan, that supports new mothers across three phases:
- Pre-Maternity: Expectant mothers attend webinars and awareness sessions to prepare for the transition to motherhood.
- During Maternity: The team provides personalized counseling and support during maternity leave.
- Post-Maternity: The New Mom WhatsApp group fosters connection, offering advice and mutual support.
A Great Certified organization championed a flexible work culture that acknowledges the unique responsibilities women often juggle as primary caregivers. They empower their female employees with the freedom to shape their work hours and patterns in alignment with their roles. Their 'right to disconnect' policy ensures that after regular working hours, it's perfectly okay to sign out, relax, and not feel pressured to respond to emails until the next workday begins.

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