Building an inclusive workplace: Why employee recognition matters

Rewarding employees is no longer just about paychecks or bonuses. True inclusion means empowering employees through meaningful initiatives that recognise their contributions, remove barriers, and create a workplace where everyone can thrive. While flexibility remains important—especially for women—leading organisations are taking a more holistic approach by embedding equity, leadership development, and skill-building into their company culture.

To understand how organisations are moving beyond flexibility to reward female employees, People Matters spoke with industry leaders about their strategies for building an inclusive, equitable workplace.

Supporting women at every career stage

Happiest Minds Technologies is taking a structured approach to supporting women at entry, mid, and leadership levels.

We focus on diversity hiring targets of 60% women at the campus level, structured reintegration programs for those on career breaks, leadership development initiatives, and pre- and post-maternity support," explains Sachin Khurana, Chief People Officer, Happiest Minds Technologies.

Additionally, the company offers mental health support, upskilling programs, and access to professional counselors to facilitate career transitions.

"By embedding these initiatives into our culture, we move beyond flexibility and create a workplace where women not only stay but thrive and lead," he adds.

Jagriti Kumar, Chief Financial Officer, NLB Services, emphasises establishing formal mentorship and sponsorship that connect women with leaders who can advocate for their career advancements.

Bridging the gender gap in tech & AI

Lynette D’Silva, VP HR – Global People Services at Amdocs, highlights how upskilling and leadership development are crucial for addressing gender imbalances, particularly in technology and AI adoption.

"Investing in upskilling programs for women in new-age technology is essential to tackling biases in AI models," she says. "Leadership development programs must equip women with the skills to innovate and lead in this space."

Equity as the foundation for gender diversity

Shalini Arora, Head of Everyday Banking Technology - India, Retail Banking at NatWest Group, believes that meritocracy and sponsorship are key to supporting women’s leadership journeys.

“Building a framework of equitable policies and practices ensures the next generation of women can succeed in a fair environment,” she explains.

Her approach includes sponsorship & mentorship to actively advocate for women's career growth. Merit-based career progression to shift perceptions of women from supporters to decision-makers and breaking gender stereotypes in leadership roles.

Psychological safety & work-life balance

A workplace rooted in fairness, open dialogue, and well-being is essential for women to thrive, according to Moumita Kurup, VP & Head of HR, Sasken Technologies.

"Equity goes beyond opportunity—it’s about transparent systems that value every voice," she emphasises.

At Sasken, this includes Data-driven compensation structures to ensure fairness. Psychological safety through regular town halls, skip-level meetings, and anonymous surveys and enhanced parental leave and on-site childcare to support work-life integration.

Deeper DEI focus

Many industry leaders echo the need for a deeper DEI focus across all employee lifecycle stages. They emphasize the need for DEI-driven hiring practices like blind resume reviews and targeted recruitment to build diverse candidate pools. They also stress the need for equal pay & promotion audits, ensuring fair compensation structures to address gender pay gaps. Additionally, addressing unconscious bias in recruitment, performance evaluations, and promotions.

Mitalee Dabral, Country HR Leader,Wayfair India TDC, highlights the importance of consistently applying a DEI lens to every stage of the employee lifecycle—from recruitment to promotions and leadership appointments.

While, Kavita Singh, Director of application Development at TransUnion GCC India, calls for establishing a growth culture, eliminating biases in assessments, and providing women access to high-visibility projects.

These, coupled with access to high-visibility projects and critical assignments, are essential for career progression.

Kasturi Roy Chowdhury, COO, Jupiter International, suggests adopting inclusive hiring, mentorship, and flexible policies to empower the women leaders of the future.

“Mentorship and sponsorship programs are invaluable in empowering and rewarding women employees, connecting them with experienced and influential senior leaders who can mentor and actively advocate for their career growth,” says Kasturi. She emphasizes that organisations should invest in professional development programs that help to hone women’s leadership aspirations, providing them with skills and confidence needed to excel.

The conversation around rewarding women in the workplace is shifting from perks to purpose-driven policies. Organisations that prioritise equity, leadership development, and skill-building will not only create a more inclusive culture but also drive sustainable business success.

By taking bold steps to remove systemic barriers, support career reintegration, and ensure fair advancement opportunities, companies can move beyond flexibility—rewarding women employees not just with a seat at the table, but with a clear path to leadership and impact.