With International Women’s Day having just gone by, it is noteworthy to witness the strides made by companies across the globe to promote Diversity and Inclusion initiatives in the workplace. Creating a positive workplace has become a priority, with titles such as “Diversity Officer,” “Chief Diversity Officer,” and “Diversity and Inclusion Consultant” becoming increasingly common among the top management of many organizations. Companies have conducted social experiments through surveys, thought experiments, practical experiments, and more to assess diversity and gender sensitivity sentiment at work.
As per the LinkedIn WEF Gender Gap Report, we need more women in emerging jobs today to effectively close the gender gap in higher management. Increasing female representation in leadership roles will help address the talent drain that often occurs in middle management due to maternity leave and other factors that lead women to take a sabbatical from the workplace. To foster a culture of inclusivity, companies must take active measures by promoting gender sensitization, ensuring equal pay, and implementing diversity and inclusion services
Diversity in the workplace is not just a vanity metric but a tangible metric to assess the diversity of opinions, avoid echo chambers, and posit different viewpoints that encompass a larger subsection of the target audience, both within the business and outside. It is something that will benefit both the bottom line and the top line of a business and therefore, aspirational for all companies, regardless of size to achieve.
Now, let’s take a look at diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Here is a round-up of all the Indian companies that are fostering a culture of gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace
1. Myntra
With measures such as reserved parking for expecting mothers, an in-house creche in their Bangalore office, and the #WeForShe initiative, which conducts brown bag sessions to holistically address the challenges faced by women at the workplace, be it casual sexism or beyond, Myntra is truly promoting diversity. The company is raising the bar for how gender sensitization and inclusivity are approached in the modern Indian workplace, making it a great example of a diverse India.
2. ShopClues
Yet another great company that exemplifies diversity in India is ShopClues. Radhika Ghai, Co-Founder of ShopClues, prides herself on leading an organization that puts women’s needs first. With one-third of the workforce being women, they have taken active steps to recruit talented women through their focused TA approach. By incorporating a 6-month transition program for women re-entering the workforce after maternity leave, they are fostering a positive workplace that promotes diversity and inclusion.
3. Apna Time Inc
A startup endeavoring to empower a billion Indians, one job at a time, has successfully maintained an almost 50:50 gender ratio. With a deep-rooted belief in enabling employers to hire staff in record time and creating an equal opportunities platform for both men and women, it is also committed to fostering career growth. By closing the gender gap both within and outside the organization, it paves the way for more inclusive and diverse professional environments.
4. Zomato
Zomato has announced paid maternity and paternity leave for all their employees and extended this benefit to non-birthing parents (including those who have adopted children). In a bold move promoting equality and diversity, they also introduced Period Leave for all women and transgender employees experiencing discomfort due to menstruation. This policy, implemented in good faith, empowers employees with the discretionary power to use the leave responsibly.
5. Godrej Group
Legacy company Godrej values diversity in the company and beliefs to shape a well-rounded workforce. Their HR policies allow you to add a partner as a health insurance beneficiary and not just a spouse. They have work-from-home policies, flexible timings, and other such measures to make employees feel safe and welcome. They are ultimately trying for all their employees to have the same experience, be it in the Mumbai office or in the hinterlands of India.
6. Tech Mahindra
Tech Mahindra has received global recognition for its excellent Diversity and Inclusion policies in India. They have a gamut of policies to meet the needs of all – the parents, the kids, the LGBTQ+ community, new mothers, people of different nationalities, ages, sexes, specially-abled people, underprivileged communities, etc. Programs such as COLORS, Mentoring Tables, Role Model Series give women an opportunity to develop their careers. They also have self-defense and financial wellness programs for women to have a secure future.
7. Culture Machine
Culture Machine paved the way for transformational policies by instituting the First Day of Period leave for all its women and transgender employees. They are known for creating a stir with their content and are not that far behind with their conversation-starter policies aimed at promoting workplace diversity and inclusion.
8. Jugnoo
The hyperlocal service’s app has a workforce of 40% women, with the management striving hard to meet their needs and retain them. This is especially commendable as it is a grassroots initiative, promoting the well-being of its blue-collar workforce. Although not currently operational, their policies have affected the way startup founders perceive and approach gender sensitization issues in the workplace.
Although Indian companies have a long way to go still, it is endearing to see them take the first step towards gender diversity and inclusion by enabling conversations and policies that get the ball rolling.
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