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But times have changed. Where then the woman had to be physically present at the officea big reason why women had to leave to sit home to look after the childrenshe can now work from home, at her own timethanks to technologies like teleconferencing and the Internet making anytime, anywhere connectivity a possibility.
| We are motivating companies to introduce metrics and track data to evaluate their performance |
With so much work happening on the gender front, are you happy with the progress?
In the last five years most of the large MNCs operating in India and Indian IT/ITeS companies like Infosys (in last 4 years) have put in place very good gender inclusion policies.
A few small and medium companies have also become aware and put policies in place. Most companies in this sector recognize the business imperative of having more women in their organizations. While the larger ones emphasize their diversity directives, resource constraints in these recessionary times have constrained many from formulating and putting in place gender inclusive policies and practices. A resource group set up by Nasscom is helping such companies to put in place the framework to attract, retain and grow women within their organizations.
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Sucharita S Eashwar, regional director, Nasscom |
Only a few companies are tracking and measuring gender inclusivity metrics. The Nasscom Corporate Awards for Gender Inclusivity are motivating companies to introduce the policies, introduce metrics and track data to evaluate their performance.
What have been the push factors in this whole gender conversation?
The huge talent shortage we experienced in recent years was a push factor for getting companies to look at how they could leverage the 50% of the population that is grossly underutilized in the formal employment sector. The fact that more and more buying decisions are being made by women as users and customers is another imperative to ensure that they are represented on the supply side in order to understand, empathize and design solutions and products that meet with their needs.
Professional women themselves are becoming clear about their life and career goals, picking up the skills and competencies required to grow up the ladder, and are empowered to ask for the roles they are ready for. More women are entering higher education (in some states more than 50%) and therefore, there are more who are available at the entry level.
About Nasscoms gender initiatives...
Nasscom launched the Gender Inclusivity Initiative in 2006. A major annual eventNasscom Women Leadership Summitis the focus for thought leaders to share their perspectives, best practice sharing and the announcement of the Nasscom Gender Awards. (This year the Summit is on December 8-9, and the theme is Navigating in a Transforming Economy: Diversity and Inclusivity Actions to Win in the Marketplace)
We will continue our training and mentoring programs for IT and BPO women. The Gender Awards now have three new categories to encourage young companies (under 5 years old) and small companies (under 1,000 employees) to apply as well as a category for the best child care program. We are helping companies to set up their gender inclusivity programs. We will work with the government in making gender empowerment a reality in the industry.
Nasscom is piloting a model of child care and preschool facilities to be shared by employees of a cluster of companies located at a IT park. If successful, this would be a good model to redress a major reason for women dropping out of the workforce.
Then there is the WEConnect program that certifies 51% owned and run womens businesses to be empanelled as vendors to the Fortune 100 companies in the US, Canada and UK. Nasscom will be piloting that in India and it will be open to all kinds of womens business enterprises. |
Women also had to opt out of their careers because of the lack of any enabling policies; neither were there too many mentors available who could guide them through this critical decision making period. Then there are other things toowith increasing cost of living, double salaries have become more of a necessity than a luxury.
Moreover, after being out of the job for five-six years, when the kids start going to school and are more independent, the woman again finds herself at a loose end, wanting to get back into a meaningful jobthis is a talent pool that companies are looking at very closely. To get these women back will also need some structured planning...and tracking.
| The government should look at initiatives that would motivate corporates to institutionalize gender friendly policies |
A lot of companies are not convinced about the business case of gender...
A part of this is because, for some reason, gender sensitivity is associated with CSR rather than the business. Diversity, particularly gender diversity, is a globally accepted business imperative. Most companies, even if they choose to address this, club this with a desirable but not essential world view. If you come with this focus , it can never be central to your plans. On the other hand, many companies have the best intentions, but because of preoccupation with the here and now, or lack of knowledge of how to go about it , get into an inertia mode.
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Priya Chetty, VP at Stanton Chase and convener, CII-WBLF (Women Business Leaders Forum) |
Some believe that the onus of empowerment is on the woman herself, her family and the society, not the company?
Engaging multiple stakeholders is indeed required. We need the women themselves, family, society (and not to forget, the government ). However, where is the stage for women to shine? The workplace, or in business. And therefore this effort needs to be mirrored at the organizational level. And this positively feeds back into the system, society and family, thereby again impacting the way women are perceived.
The organizational effort has another motivationto educate and sensitize men at the workplace, be it peers, bosses or subordinates. This creates a huge partnership and alignment with the most important stakeholder in the gender diversity policythe men. Most are very receptive and understand the fairness of such an initiative. Some need information and training. So the organization has a huge role to play, to action the stated policy, and walk the talk.
The government, you mentioned, is an important stakeholder. How does an association like CII involve them?
Organizations or industry fora like CII, Nasscom, Awake, TiE have impactful discussions and initiatives with companies and the government, such as events, panel discussions, white papers and surveys. I feel that the government, apart from underlining this issue on a central level, should broadly look at some initiatives that would motivate corporates and SMEs to focus on, and institutionalize gender friendly policies within their company.
At the CII-WBLF (CII Women Business Leaders Forum) we are working on a white paper to present to the state government or bureaucracy, wherein companies who fulfill the criteria for women-friendly policies are incentivized in some ways, be it a subsidy or a tax break. It could be as simple as (although the current Budget has addressed this) removing the FBT component on providing daily transportation for women and men in night shifts or for those who are providing crches at the workplace. These are heavy costs to companies, dont forget. Removing state professional tax for working women or providing a weightage for gender-friendly companies in the government tendering process, will send out a symbolic message that the government is serious about this issue and sees it as an important focus.
Many overseas clients pick vendors who follow (and demonstrate) basic policies of governance, compliance and gender sensitivity. This is another motivator for Indian companies looking to consolidate their position as a differentiated service provider in global markets. We need both motivators and disincentives to create the critical mass we need for a win-win solution. |
There are also fears of alienating the men at the workplace by focusing too much on the women. One, most programs/initiatives are open to both men and women, just that the women can leverage them more. Two, companies following a gender diversity agenda are very careful that it is an exercise in inclusion and not alienation. Thats why a lot of stress is put on transparency, and sensitization of men and women equally. Three, the fact that there are more men in senior management means that they are very much a part of the core activities involving women empowerment.
The other side of the story is that women can lash out against women-friendly policies fearing that theyll take away from all the hard work that theyve put in. These women have to understand that gender diversity is a business value for the company, showing clear return on investment, it is not a feel good. So theres no question of favoritism or do good.
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