In recent years, the number of women in the country’s workforce has soared. Women are not only entering the workforce at junior positions but also restarting their careers post-break, taking on leadership roles, and becoming entrepreneurs.
However, a report by Google and Bain and Company proclaims, “Despite improvements in social parameters, India’s growth doesn’t translate into the economic inclusion and development of women.” Even today, despite social progress, women are asked to choose between their personal and professional lives, making it challenging to strike a balance.
It’s time to change this discouraging narrative. The world is at the cusp of revolutionary changes – changes that will shape the future of women in the workforce. Fabricating new archetypes of power and leadership will enable women to enter/re-enter the workforce and reach the pinnacle of success.
Remote working
The past year has been turbulent, to say the least. The pandemic disrupted almost every aspect of life in unimaginable ways, and the future of work is at the forefront of this disruption. Just as organizations are now recalibrating their operations, we are also rethinking our personal and professional lives, particularly career progress. Remote working, apart from becoming the norm, has also evolved greatly.
Progressing from conventional roles such as Telesales, and Data Entry, remote working has opened up several new avenues with unconventional roles such as SAP Consultants, UI/UX Designers, App Developers, Teachers, Accountants, etc. It has also presented women who aspire to join/re-join the workforce with countless opportunities while encouraging women from Tier-II and Tier-III cities to apply for jobs that were previously inaccessible to them.
Digitisation
Technology is evolving continuously, and the pandemic has simply fast-tracked this. Organizations across the world are digitizing their operations, making technology an integral part of their functions. To keep up with this change, increasing tech competency amongst employees is necessary. Companies are also increasingly realising the need to upskill their female workforce and encourage them to pursue more technology-oriented roles.
However, a majority of women in tech roles are often at the entry-level and as the designation rises, the percentage of women plummets. Today, organizations are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that women can access the required resources to upskill themselves to take on tech-centric jobs and progress in their careers.
Time and again, women across the world have proven their capabilities in leadership roles. Particularly during the ongoing crisis, women-led countries suffered six times fewer confirmed deaths due to Covid-19 as opposed to countries led by men, establishing their ability to lead entire nations in the face of adversity. From the business standpoint, organizations are realizing the need for an inclusive form of leadership.
In a bid to create a notable transformation and increase women’s participation in leadership roles, companies are even creating a pipeline of female leaders from their existing employees to lead the organization in the future. Continued efforts in the form of structured mentorship, sponsorship, improved infrastructure, and networking platforms dedicated to women are key in helping women climb the professional ladder and ensure that more women lead enterprises across the world.
The author is the Founder of Jobsforher
DISCLAIMER: Views expressed are the authors' own, and Outlook Money does not necessarily subscribe to them. Outlook Money shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organisation directly or indirectly.
