Women in India have always struggled to manage both their personal and professional life. But there are also many examples where women have made it to the top. So, why is it that some women are capable of reaching to the pinnacle of success and some are not. Let’s try to understand the life of a woman in India and her experiences towards building a strong corporate career.
By the time we complete our studies, our parents pressurize us get us married. Once married, there have been many instances where due to a lack of support and understanding that women in India are forced to give up on their dreams and look after the family. Is it that woman cannot multitask ? Or are women doubted for their skills to reach the top?
Representation of women in corporate India has increased from 21% five years ago to 30% now, with higher representation in non-technical roles (31%) over technical roles (26%), a study by management consulting firm Zinnov, in collaboration with Intel India, has shown. This study clearly states that we still live in a male dominated society where women are not considered for management level roles and top performers or fast movers reach the glass ceiling very quickly. It’s not for the lack of skilled women but rather the lack of opportunities provided. Most big companies in Corporate India talk a lot about Diversity and Inclusion but have failed to bring in women in top leadership roles in recent times. Out of every 100 CEOs and managing directors of companies listed on the National Stock Exchange, only about three are women, and this has been the case since 2014, show data shared with ET by Prime Database.
This gets me thinking on what is it that prevents Indian women from getting their deserved recognition in Corporate India. As a kid, most women are not encouraged to dream big and rather the focus is on learning to manage the house. It is here where the seeds of differential attitudes are sprouted. The reality still remains that 70% of women in India do not get the backing from their families and friends. In fact, many are taunted and teased while others are abused. This may result in some of us lacking a positive attitude to align achievable work goals.
It is time we start focusing on our dreams, aspirations and what we want to achieve in our lives. Some may be happy with a mid-managerial role as that would help them balance work and home, whilst some may want to be part of board room discussions. Whatever you choose, what is important is being happy and giving it your 100 percent. Corporate India also needs to provide more opportunities as well as more facilities to encourage and support women. There are many initiatives being implemented but they are all in a very small scale. We need every woman in the corporate workforce to want to achieve their ambitions.
I strongly believe it’s time we are the women who can change the society and make a difference felt in the board rooms. Let’s commit to ourselves that we will dream big and go all out in achieving them as well.
RiteAlign HR 