The bias against women can be seen in various aspects of corporate life. The problem is not going to fix itself in a day. The absence of women in senior management, lack of an inclination to hire women and stereotyping of women into certain jobs are common examples of discrimination.
I have had the luxury of being a senior professional in my organisation. The Indian private sector under-represents women at senior management positions. Particularly in smaller companies driven more by individuals than policies.
Statistics: women are under-represented
India ranked third lowest in having women in leadership roles for the third consecutive year. This was according to a global survey by Grant Thorton in 2017. Most common roles held by women in India are Human Resources Director (25%) and Corporate Controller (18%).
The decision-makers are generally men. It is noteworthy how women get dropped off somewhere on the way up. At the entry level the number of women is proportionately much higher than in middle and senior levels.
A recent Deloitte report found that women are holding only 12.4% of board seats in India. This number is a drastic increase because of the mandatory requirement under the new Companies Act, 2013. As per second Proviso to Section 149(1) read with Rule 3 of The Companies (Appointment and Qualification of directors) Rules, 2014, the following class of companies are required to appoint at least one Woman Director- (i) every listed company; (ii) every other public company having (a) paid–up share capital of 100 crore rupees or more; or (b) turnover of 300 crore rupees or more.
Is it the workplace or the woman employee?
The question for consideration is whether the women are voluntarily opting to opt out. Or are the workplaces not providing a suitable environment where a woman can feel empowered.
It might also be the case that the former is sub-consciously influenced by the latter. That is, the unavailability of the right opportunities making quitting an easier and preferable option.
A person would try to hold onto a job they love and where the growth prospects stretch to the sky. A woman’s career trajectory is often more subject to ups and downs as compared to males.
Of course, people will retort with examples of the likes of Ms. Kochhar and Ms. Bhattacharya in the banking industry. But a few examples don’t represent the true and complete scenario. This is especially in manufacturing or industrial sectors, traditionally not ‘meant for women’.
Bias in hiring
I have witnessed many recruiters say unabashedly and upfront, we only want to hire a male candidate for this job. The excuse would probably germinate in a fake concern for “safety of the women,” arising from “longer working hours” or “running around as being a job requirement.”
The dichotomy becomes apparent when one sees women putting in longer hours than their male colleagues, who are whiling away time over cigarette breaks and hence the need to question this assumption, can women not be trusted with responsible positions or handling longer hours?
The excuse for safety is a flimsy one at best; a bare minimum of providing appropriate transportation and flexible working hours is the only requirement for providing women the requisite support and comfort. The mindset and perception maybe the problem. But that cannot be changed in a day and is a gradual transition.
Bangalore is one of the top cities in offering women work from home opportunities and flexible timings. The world is shifting to remote and online working and physical presence is no longer a requirement for a majority of the corporate functions.
Gender roles vs job roles
I also take affront to the assumption that women are more suited to certain job functions like Human Resources or Secretarial and not to others. One cannot ignore the bias against the female gender. It is good to see certain corporates taking a stand on diversity and an inclusive workplace. Sometimes, this also transforms into concrete policy in some cases.
Multinational companies like American Express and some leading companies in India like Bharti Enterprises require the recruiting agencies to have adequate women represented in the interview stage, to ensure diversity and an inclusive workforce.
The argument of merit alone being the basis for recruitments is a just and valid one. Sometimes we have to consider the social setting we are a part of. In which case, it becomes impossible to superimpose our presumptions of justice and idealism over a playing field which isn’t level to begin with.
Women don’t get a fair treatment in the workplace unless they ask for it, so maybe, we have to start asking for it.
About the Author
Mini Gautam is a corporate finance lawyer and writer by profession.