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Despite women's workforce participation rising to 37% by 2023, India continues to face significant societal and workplace challenges that hinder gender parity. Nupur Garg, Founder of Winpe—a not-for-profit enhancing gender diversity in the investing ecosystem—addressed these critical issues on the latest episode of the podcast “What India Needs!” hosted by author and media entrepreneur Shutapa Paul.
The discussion highlighted the need to bridge the gender gap by redefining leadership, addressing unconscious bias, and creating equitable workplace policies. “Even though participation has increased from 23% in 2017-2018 to 37% by 2022-2023, women still face significant barriers to reaching senior positions in the workforce,” said Nupur Garg. “Traditional societal norms continue to assign women the primary role of homemaker, which hinders their professional advancement.”
Societal Norms and Gender Stereotypes
Garg pointed out that societal conditioning begins at a young age, limiting women’s exposure to leadership roles. Young girls are often assigned household chores while boys are encouraged to manage finances, reinforcing stereotypes that affect perceptions of women's leadership capabilities. This conditioning persists even for highly educated women, who often face pressure to prioritise family over career. “Working women are doing 6x more work than employed men. It's a lot of unpaid work which could be productive, constructive, paid-for work,” noted Shutapa Paul, emphasising the unrealistic expectations placed on women.
Workplace Structures Designed for Men
Garg discussed how workplace dynamics are often structured around male norms. She argued that if women had always been integral to the workforce, companies would have implemented maternity benefits, parental leave, lactation rooms, and flexible work options much earlier. However, many industries remain stagnant, with data from 2016 showing that women constituted only 20% of the workforce in alternative investments.
The Challenge of Unconscious Bias
Reflecting on her experiences, Garg highlighted that even educated individuals carry unconscious biases shaped by societal norms. She advocated for raising awareness in organisations and called for objective, data-driven processes to reduce subjectivity in hiring and promotions. "We need to move beyond awareness workshops to systemic changes that ensure biases don’t influence critical decisions,” Garg advised.
Rethinking Leadership Traits
Garg noted that leadership traits are still largely modelled on traditionally male characteristics. Women in leadership are often unfairly labelled as aggressive or too soft, complicating their ability to lead effectively. She urged organisations to recognise the value of diverse leadership styles and actively work to disrupt entrenched stereotypes.
Re-entering the Workforce: A Daunting Task
The podcast also addressed the challenges faced by individuals of all genders trying to re-enter the workforce after a break. Garg mentioned that second careers often come with compromises in job profile, seniority, and compensation. “We also see some privileged women who have support but choose not to return to work. How do we retain them in the workforce?” asked Shutapa Paul.
Garg emphasised that many women already in the workforce have the potential to drive change at the leadership level. In the investing community, research indicates that while nearly 49% of entry-level roles are filled by women, only 2.3% hold positions that influence capital allocation decisions. “We need to focus on helping the women who are already in the workforce succeed and grow,” Garg urged. “Once they see a return on investment and a clear pathway to leadership, it will encourage others to remain in or return to their careers.”
The insights shared in this episode of “What India Needs!” underscore the urgent need to address societal conditioning and workplace structures. While progress is evident, targeted efforts and policies are essential to ensure women have equal opportunities to thrive in their professional journeys.
