According to a recent report published by Deloitte, titled "Women @ Work: A Global Outlook", some factors have worsened for women in the workplace in the last year, despite progress made in the past. The report is based on a survey of 5,000 women across 10 countries, including 500 women in India from various age groups, employment statuses, sectors and seniority levels.
The report indicated that levels of stress and burnout continue to be high, both globally and in India. However, it is encouraging to see that the youngest segment of the workforce is most comfortable talking about mental health at the workplace. The report suggested that organisations should leverage this generation to establish strong peer-to-peer networks of mental health champions.
Women are also reporting better hybrid working experiences than last year. Still, more women in India working in hybrid environments are reporting a lack of predictability (28 per cent now vs 15 per cent in 2022) and flexibility (32 per cent now vs 13 per cent in 2022), as well as clarity around their employer's expectations compared to the previous year. The proportion of respondents who say they are expected to go into their workplace, despite assurances about flexibility and the choice being theirs, has jumped from 10 per cent in 2022 to 36 per cent in 2023.
The report also highlighted that a higher number of women in India report having to shoulder the primary responsibility for childcare, cleaning and other domestic tasks compared to the global average (59 per cent and 48 per cent, respectively in India vs. 46 per cent and 42 per cent, globally). Even among women who are primary or equal breadwinners in the household, 40 per cent are still primary caregivers for children, and 35 per cent are responsible for cleaning and other domestic tasks.
The survey found that many working women are experiencing health challenges related to menstruation and menopause. Among them, more than 33 per cent work through pain or symptoms related to menstruation, and 18 per cent work through symptoms related to menopause. Approximately a quarter of women took time off for these reasons without disclosing it.
This is the third year that Deloitte's research has identified a group of "Gender Equality Leaders" -- organisations that have created genuinely inclusive cultures that support their careers, work/life balance, and foster inclusion.
Women who work for Gender Equality Leaders are more engaged and have higher levels of well-being and job satisfaction, and are five times more likely to recommend their organisations to friends or family as a great place to work, than those who work for lagging organisations. The report suggests that being an inclusive and supportive company has merits that go much deeper than just optics and has a tangible positive effect on talent attraction, engagement and retention.