In the services sector too, women’s career has roadblocks such as gender bias in Indian workplaces, traditional gender norms in the Indian society, increased responsibility after childbirth amongst others.
As per the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2022, India ranked 107th in ‘educational attainment’, but ranks more distant in ‘economic participation and opportunity’. This signifies a void in the availability of conducive work environment for women.
“India has a higher proportion of employable women at about 52%, but the actual employed women workforce stands at an abysmal low. Equality at workplaces comes from two aspects – policies that a company formulates that nurture women and their careers and an office design that embraces inclusivity. Historically, offices have been built for and by men, and this needs to change to truly design for today’s diverse workforce,” said Ramesh Nair, Chief Executive Officer, India and Managing Director, Market Development, Asia.
Companies with more than 30% women on their executive teams are more profitable than companies with less percentage of women, with a performance differential of 48%, as per Mckinsey & Co. As per the United Nations, if women played an identical role to men in labour markets, the global annual GDP can be boosted by $28 trillion by 2025.
Not only the design of the office, but also aspects such as location, accessibility, etc. play a larger role in creating a women-friendly workplace. Such workplaces can boost productivity, build top-notch culture with happy employees,” said Nair.
To narrow this gap and to unleash the full potential of working women in India Inc choosing an office location that is centrally located and easily accessible through public transport will encourage more women to join the company. Formulating hybrid work styles and flexible working, can enable them to pursue a career, while maintaining a work-life balance. “While diversity is imperative for any organization, it is even more important to be inclusive wherein workplaces can be centers of empowerment for women. A bit of thoughtfulness goes a long way. Spatial design in workplaces can help create safe and comfortable spaces that can aid employee productivity. Inclusive design solutions such as ergonomic fittings, temperature, washrooms etc. are some ways to create equal workplaces that can encourage more women to join and continue in the workplace,” said Vimal Nadar, Senior Director and Head of Research, Colliers, India.