Despite growing attention to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), a significant share of Indian women still face unequal access to opportunities and support systems at work, according to a new report from Great Place To Work® India. The study, titled “From Intent to Impact”, outlines persistent gender gaps in leadership development and work-life balance — two key factors that influence long-term retention and growth.
The research draws from confidential employee surveys across India and highlights the complex realities of working women, persons with disabilities (PwDs), LGBTQIA+ employees, and other historically excluded groups (HEGs), who collectively make up 30% of the country’s workforce in 2025.
Key Challenges: Leadership & Flexibility
Among the most striking findings:
21% of women report lacking access to leadership development programs, limiting their upward mobility.
22% of women say they struggle with work-life balance, often due to inflexible schedules and unsupportive policies.
Women returning from maternity leave frequently face rigid work structures, insufficient empathy, and diminished career advancement opportunities.
While these numbers point to progress in representation — women now make up 26% of the workforce, with 32% representation in best-rated workplaces — their presence sharply declines at senior levels. Only 15% hold executive roles, and just 8% serve as CEOs.
HEGs and DEIB: Broadening the Lens
The report also highlights that employees with disabilities face the steepest gaps in pay, career advancement, and overall fairness. LGBTQIA+ employees, too, continue to encounter promotion bias, limited leadership access, and lack of psychological safety.
Yet, organizations identified as India’s Best Workplaces for Women and DEIB are showing a way forward. These companies perform significantly better on productivity, retention, and employee engagement — thanks to proactive measures like:
Transparent promotion and compensation structures
Empathetic, inclusive management
Direct access to senior leadership
Investments in employee empowerment and growth
The Bottom Line: Inclusion Drives Business Impact
Balbir Singh, CEO of Great Place To Work® India, emphasized the need for action:
“Fairness, empathy, and a sense of belonging are not just moral imperatives — they are business-critical.”
The study calls on India Inc. to build inclusive policies into the fabric of organizational culture, not just into CSR programs or isolated initiatives. The path forward, the report argues, lies in treating equity as strategy, not sentiment.
