India Inc comprises less than 2% women workforce

One more research to show the need to focus on women at work and increase their ratio vis a vis men. A study by the ET Intelligence Group which says that there are only about 2% women in the India Inc. Companies like Grasim, UltraTech, Hero Moto Corp., Adani Ports and Bajaj Auto.

Women comprise about 50% of the country’s population and yet the representation of women in the workspace in high-end companies is diminutive.

“Bajaj Auto employs 67 women, or 0.7% of its 9,000-plus workforce, while Adani Ports has just 12 women (1%) among the 1,257 staff on its payroll. Hero MotoCorp has just 88 women, even though the company has 7,000-plus employees,” reports Economic Times.

The study also notes that women representation in Nifty companies is about 18% which drops to a mere 7% if IT companies and banks are excluded from the list.

Bino Paul, Professor and Dean at School of Management and Labour Studies, TISS has a theory to explain this minimal visibility of women at top companies.

“Firstly, on the supply side, the gender ratio in different sectors is skewed in India. For instance, household chores are predominantly performed by women. Secondly, on the demand side, Indian companies and proprietary firms have historically been masculine in nature and value system with diversity not being much appreciated,” says Paul.

In comparison to private sector companies, PSUs have managed a slightly higher percentage in employing women in the companies. ONGC has 6.6% women in its entire workforce and Reliance Industries has 4.8% women as its employees.

companies are giving opportunities to women, but sometimes they only fail to determine their scope of career

Defending the hiring process in companies, managing director and CEO of Punjab National Bank former chairperson of Bhartiya Mahila Bank, Usha Ananthasubramaniam says that companies are giving opportunities to women, but sometimes they only fail to determine their scope of career.

“There is no quota for women in PSUs. But because of their wider presence in the country, they have better access to hiring women across the country," explains Ananthasubramanian.

While some companies may choose to ignore this kind of gender disparity, Hero Moto Corp has started to pay attention to the alarming issue. “With Hero MotoCorp increasingly turning global in its operations, we have undertaken a robust initiative to enhance gender diversity... This not only involves reviewing our talent attraction and retention strategies, systems and procedures, but also drawing out tiered leadership development mantel for women employees. We have also been engaging in coaching and mentoring women staff to take up leadership positions," says Hero Moto Corp’s spokesperson.

Source- Economic Times

Picture Credit- Tridiversity