The Glass Ceiling: Hubris, Hubbub or Reality

It’s a situation of double whammy. Women in India are almost at par with their western counterparts when it comes to joining the corporate workforce. It is said nearly 24% women in the corporate houses are between ages 25 and 35 and the number is expected to grow.

India boasts of one of the largest young working populations in the world. So when the statistics say India is right below Japan (23% working women), it does indicate some progress. In fact, Turkey (26%) and Austria (29%) do better than India. Of course, the west leads as always with the US leading with 52% women workers, followed by Spain (48%) and Canada (46%).

Come back to India, shall we? Women in the corporate sector, make a rather grand entry and fizzle out later. Of the 24% who make it to the boardrooms, only 5% reach the top.

Experts say if women contribute to be equal workforce as men, India’s GDP can increased by 4%. But that isn’t easy because the corporate world somehow creates roadblocks for women and reduces their participation.

In a report titled ‘On Ramps and Up Ramps India’ by Hewlett, it has been derived that women don’t follow a vertical career path as men. Reasons for this could range from biological, cultural, social and individual ones.

What’s important to note though, is that 36% women take a career break due to various reasons. This data seems to be the same, more or less, world over. Women in Germany and the US, too, come close to the same percentage.

However, the difference lies in the fact that the Indian women stay away from work only on an average of 11 months as against close to three years in other countries. So the experience and manpower lost when they begin to work again is a disappointing figure.

When Women return to work, the psychological aspects play a major role. They assume they cannot leverage the experience they had built and have to start from scratch. The dynamic technology platforms don’t make it easy either. Though companies offer flexi-work options, women tend to withdraw again and move into a shell.

Reasons are mostly matrimonial, domestic and aspects involving child and elderly care. This kind of a fluid situation can leave women nowhere even after they return to work.

Psychologically, women are assumed to be difficult, emotional and fly-off-the-handle easily to lose composure. A team leader has to be hands-on. This is a popular belief that keeps women down from aiming for the top.

So, is the glass ceiling self-assumed or created by external forces? It’s a bit of both. Popular notions of leadership are mostly masculine and do not define the feminine aspects of it. And when women feel they cannot fulfil those demands, even by a small percentage, they don’t set out to carve the path for themselves.

What stalks them is the fear of being questioned, and judged on the basis of their personal responsibilities and time commitment. Since most women don the masculine aspect of their personality as they move up the ladder of corporate responsibilities, their feminism remains a mere token.

Threat looms large around the time when the women at lower rung have to negotiate on policy matters. The usual hesitation of being rejected stays on top of the mind. Hence, the policies don’t change, as do the notions of leadership. India still lags behind in accommodating women in workspace since it is at crossroads with changing social equations between men and women.

Increase in crimes is another problem. India needs to wage a war against its negative forces, both within and outside the psyche of power houses. It’s a tough fight. The road ahead is miles longer than the road behind.