Highs and lows of ‘What women want@work’

When handing out responsibilities, India Inc prefers men no matter how progressive it thinks it is.

About one in every three women confessed to facing gender discrimination at work place.

According to a recent LinkedIn study “What women want@work”, gender bias at workplace in India is highest across all countries surveyed.

LinkedIn, along with Cross-Tab, surveyed more than 5,000 working women across 13 countries in celebration and support of International Women’s Day on March 8. For professional women in India, lack of investment in professional development (48 per cent) is the biggest challenge that affects their career, followed by the absence of a role model (43 per cent). Additionally, juggling between work and family life (36 per cent) and inequality in pay (25 per cent) were perceived to be major inhibitors of professional success.

However, about 94 per cent of the Indian women surveyed (total sample size: 400) felt that they have had a successful career and women who have put in more than six years feel more satisfied with their professional lives compared to those with fewer years of experience.

Around 93 per cent of the Indian women surveyed believe it is possible to have it all, in terms of career and family life. This is significantly higher than the global average of 74 per cent.

On the topic of how children affect career ambitions, however, Indian women are split. The study found that 40 per cent of those currently without children believe their career will not slow down, while the remaining feel they will.

Priyanka.pani@thehindu.co.in

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