The representation of women in corporate India is a road that has just begun. Corporates in urban India are focusing towards developing a more empathetic and flexible workplace environment for working women by providing them equal opportunities as compared to their male counterparts. In all-male board room, slowly and steadily there has started to have some room for women who truly have the capability to lead an organization and take strategic ideas forward.
However, there are some important regulations that an organization needs to imbibe in their working principles so as to provide a more secure and nourishing environment to both - men and women employees, thereby promoting gender diversity at the workplace. Let us have a look on how to achieve the same-
- Apply POSCH Policy: The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 ("POSH Act") was passed as a legislation to establish a secure, safeguarded and empowering environment, with no room for sexual harassment to every female. The policy must form a part of every organization so that women feel secure and more women are able to gain the confidence of working without any stress or worry.
- Mentoring of Employees: Every organization must have mentors and counsellors to help guide the employees about their future. Specially, for the women at workplace it is important to have a support system in case they feel aggravated or are unable to cope up with several issues like work-life balance, low confidence levels, no career guidance and any other issues wherein they require expert support and inputs.
- Recruitment process must be more inclusive: Gender-blind hiring must become the new normal. An individual must be hired based on their skills and not on the basis of their gender. Another important technique that must be followed by all employers is to avoid writing job descriptions that uses phrases with masculine overtones like aggressive, resolute, and rock star. Such words deter women from applying for such jobs.
- Flexible work environment: Flexible work environment for women with children, or period leaves, maternity leaves must be applied in the company policy and shall be considered as normal and necessary. Women have to often struggle to keep a work life balance and hence are forced to leave jobs. In such circumstance’s companies can help them by providing incentives and a flexible working ecosystem that fosters their growth and does not hamper their progress.
- Transparency around hiring and pay: Both male and female employees must be paid equal as per their designations. Every designation must have a uniform pay band irrespective of whether it is a male or female employee. Additionally, it is important that while recruiting for senior management positions, at least one member of the team must be a woman. However, there must be an equal proportion of men and women in case the candidates fit the skill set needed for the job.
Therefore, with the changing workplace environment it is important that one must apply the above points in their company policies for the upliftment of the society as a whole. Gender equality and gender diversity is an ideology that will lay the foundation of a more progressive and developed India.