About 3150 employers from India were asked about their diversity plans, progress and intentions with regard to fostering diverse talent and bridging the gender gap. What was the answer? A very encouraging 58 per cent employers in the information technology (IT) sector said they were right on track with initiatives to improve the number of women in their workforce, and had managed to successfully strengthen the diversity ratio.
While the figure was highest for the IT sector, it was lowest for the consumer goods and services sector, where only 34 per cent of the employers were on track with their company initiatives to improve diversity. The numbers were better for the healthcare & life sciences, as well as the financials and real estate sectors, with 54 per cent employers in each sector, admitting to being on track with their initiatives to have more women members in the workforce and meeting with success. About 42 per cent of employers in the industrials and materials sector were able to successfully improve diversity ratios with their companywide initiatives.
The survey by Manpower Group reveals that top-level management roles are the most likely to have lesser number of women. While employers expect most of the progress on gender equality to take place over the next two years, only 38 per cent of employers expect 100 per cent gender equality to be achieved in their organisation. Only about 21 per cent organisations have already achieved full gender equality.