Women in both India and the US have made significant progress in recent decades in entering the workforce and rising to leadership roles. However, gender gaps and barriers to women’s advancement still persist in important ways.
Women currently make up around 46% of the workforce in India and 47% in the US. While the number of women leaders and entrepreneurs is growing, men still hold the majority of C-suite positions and board seats in most industries. For example:
- In India, only 14% of corporate board positions are held by women. Only 9% of CEOs of NIFTY 500 companies are women.
- In the US, women hold just 6.6% of Fortune 500 CEO positions and 23% of board seats of S&P 500 companies. The gender pay gap also remains significant at around 18-20%.
Despite progress, women face challenges in rising to top roles due to factors like:
- Unconscious bias and stereotypes – Research shows both men and women hold implicit biases that favor men for leadership roles.
- Lack of suitable role models and sponsors – Women tend to have fewer role models and sponsors who can help them navigate organizational politics and build crucial networks.
- Family responsibilities – Women still do a disproportionate amount of unpaid care work at home, limiting their ability to put in long hours at work.
- Fewer line management roles – Women are underrepresented in line management roles that often serve as stepping stones to leadership positions.
- Lack of flexibility – Many organizations have yet to accommodate the need for flexible work arrangements, especially for women with caregiving responsibilities.
While progress has been made, more can be done to increase the number of women leaders in India and the US.
Some key recommendations include:
- Establishing targets and policies to increase the representation of women at senior levels.
- Providing sponsorship programs, coaching and mentorship for high-potential women candidates.
- Offering flexible work arrangements, paid parental leave and other family-friendly policies.
- Promoting women into line roles and projects that prepare them for leadership positions.
- Encouraging a culture of diversity and inclusion throughTraining and awareness programs for managers to mitigate unconscious biases.
With increased awareness, commitment and action on the part of corporations, governments, and society as a whole, we can accelerate the pace of change and help more women rise to positions of leadership and influence in both India and the United States.
