Workplace Diversity: The Road To Equality Is Long, But It’s A Good Start

The Indian IT and BPO sectors have seen a large influx of women at the workplace. According to NASSCOM report, one out of every three employees joining the BPO sector today is a woman. Since its beginning, the US$150 billion Indian BPO sector has consistently provided opportunities and incentives to women. And promoting women entry has resulted in greater diversity at the workplace. This industry realized early that a diverse workforce will result in divergent ideas and better talent and teamwork, apart from fostering energy and creativity.

Diversity and inclusion today is not only about gender. It’s also about programmes to attract talent across age groups, regions, and the underserved (women, disabled, etc.). While these initiatives look promising, women face many challenges in terms of career progress. For instance, while the women workforce at the entry or middle level may be encouraging, their representation at the higher levels is low, with the hallowed boardroom out of bounds for most. A key challenge for the industry is to resolve all these anomalies and take corrective measures and provideopportunities for the future.

More the Workforce Diversity, Better Is the Performance
Beyond the platitudes about equal opportunity workplaces, organizations have noticed a direct correlation between diversity and organizations’ bottom line. One of the industry report says that companies with more women show enhanced performance. Diversity provides better perspectives and non-traditional approaches that help in providing a better solution to problem solving. It is proven to result in better productivity and innovative decision making. Another study says organizations with diverse teams have 22% lesser attrition among staff. For an industry with a constant focus on ROI, this is a great incentive.

Industry studies suggest that women leaders are more competent in areas of risk management, planning, and engagement compared with their male counterparts. Women leaders are known to be better role models and motivators.

It’s Still a Rough Road for Women at the Workplace
Hiring processes are largely free of discrimination. But across all industries, including BPOs, women still face challenges, both before and post entry into the workplace.  

Specifically, in BPOs, NASSCOM reveals the number of women managers is not very encouraging. This is surprising because at the entry stage, men and women are at par in terms of skill sets. But while moving up in the organization, cultural factors and a non-supportive environment create barriers that prevent women from reaching the top. Many women employees who are qualified to climb the corporate ladder face the spectre of the glass ceiling! Come to think of it, can you remember the names of 10 women CEOs/CFOs/CXOs randomly? Despite all the policies, gender imbalance at the top is a worrying factor.

On the issue of staff retention in organizations, a NASSCOM study said women attrition is comparatively higher than mendue to changes in personal and professional priorities. For example, many give up their jobs after marriage, and more when they bear children.

BPOs Take the Lead in Promoting Workplace Diversity
Despite reports of workplace disparity, Randstad states that   91% of India respondents felt men and women in similar roles were rewarded equally. And 88% felt both are promoted fairly. BPO organizations are specially seized of the issue. In fact, more women at the workplace have made organizations strictly implement pay parity and enhance maternity benefits. This attracts more women to this sector and vice versa. In some companies, the rewards for referring diversity candidates are higher. And to offset attrition among new mothers, the maternity leave is now extended to six months. Also, the Indian government’s Maternity Benefit Act stipulates every company with 50+ employees shall provide crèche facilities to ensure such women employees re-join their companies.

To encourage parity at the top levels, organizations have taken initiatives to train women for leadership roles. A premier BPO and solutions company has launched a programme to identify, guide, and nurture women employees at the workplace. Here, executives at the C-level mentor women staff at lower levels and guide them. Such initiatives are essential, considering the number of women in leadership roles at larger corporate houses not just in India but across the world. Women leadership programmes boost the morale of employees at the workplace. It also attract other qualified women to join the BPO sector.

Conclusion
A diverse and inclusive workplace have great advantages over a homogenized workforce. And the efforts by BPOs will not only help women advance their careers within the organization, but will also make them feel appreciated. The BPO sector can rightfully claim to be an equal opportunity provider and a non-partial entity that relies solely on performance, and not on gender, as the basis for jobs — a claim not many sectors can boast of! The industry has made major strides toward a more inclusive workplace with more growth opportunities for women.

It is important to reiterate that these efforts will support female  employees establish themselves in the society as influencers and not as  dependents. Hopefully, in a not-too-distant future, the current low figure of just one-third women in the industry and only 4% in the boardrooms will rise to a more respectable number. Equal representation of women at the workplace may appear to be only one small step. But it is indeed the proverbial giant leap for womankind.