Women's workforce participation is very low; Kalpana Viswanath, CEO Safetipin
A discussion highlights the stark reality for women in India's corporate sector, where they make up only 18% of the workforce in top NSE-listed companies. A woman leader recounted her early career in the late 90s, where she was told the company 'don't hire girls' and faced a lack of basic facilities like restrooms and proper safety gear in a factory setting. Another speaker addressed the issue of tokenism on corporate boards, suggesting that having three or more women in a group forms a cohort, whereas one is mere tokenism. The conversation delved into unconscious biases in hiring, noting that women's resumes are scrutinised for marital status more often than men's. The speakers emphasised that while policies like flexi-working exist, they can lead to subtle penalties and that a fundamental mindset shift, beyond just policy changes, is crucial for true gender equity in the workplace.
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Women's workforce participation is very low; Kalpana Viswanath, CEO Safetipin
24:12 A discussion highlights the stark reality for women in India's corporate sector, where they make up only 18% of the workforce in top NSE-listed companies. A woman leader recounted her early career in the late 90s, where she was told the company 'don't hire girls' and faced a lack of basic facilities like restrooms and proper safety gear in a factory setting. Another speaker addressed the issue of tokenism on corporate boards, suggesting that having three or more women in a group forms a cohort, whereas one is mere tokenism. The conversation delved into unconscious biases in hiring, noting that women's resumes are scrutinised for marital status more often than men's. The speakers emphasised that while policies like flexi-working exist, they can lead to subtle penalties and that a fundamental mindset shift, beyond just policy changes, is crucial for true gender equity in the workplace.
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