Women now account for more than half of the workforce in four industries in India, but their representation continues to remain lower in C-suite and senior leadership positions, according to a report cited by The Economic Times.
The findings point to a gap between women’s participation across the workforce and their progression into senior decision-making roles. While women’s representation has increased across several sectors, this growth has not translated proportionately into leadership positions.
The trend highlights the challenge for organisations in converting workforce diversity into a stronger leadership pipeline. Hiring more women alone may not be enough to close the gap, with progression also influenced by access to leadership opportunities, sponsorship, promotion pathways and workplace support.
For employers, the findings underline the need to track women’s representation across the employee lifecycle — from hiring and retention to promotions and leadership appointments. Building a stronger pipeline of women leaders will require sustained focus on how talent is identified, developed and advanced within organisations.
