85% of women in India missed out on raise, promotion because of gender

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Although 66 percent of people in India feel that gender equality has improved compared to their parents’ age, India’s working women still contend the strongest gender bias across Asia Pacific countries, according to LinkedIn Opportunity Index 2021.

The report emphasized that 85 percent of women in India have missed out on a raise, promotion because of their gender.

When asked about their reasons for being unhappy with opportunities to advance in their careers, 22 percent of working women in India said their companies exhibit a ‘favourable bias’ towards men at work, when compared to the regional average of 16 percent.

The report further suggests that 86 percent of Indians state that they were negatively impacted by the pandemic, while 9 in 10 said they were affected by COVID-19 in terms of job retrenchment, pay cuts, and reduced working hours.

LinkedIn Opportunity Index 2021

The research is conducted by an independent market research firm, GfK commissioned by LinkedIn. The research was conducted between 26 to 31 January 2021. The survey was conducted among 18 to 65-year-olds via an online survey with more than 10,000 respondents across the Asia Pacific region, from Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore. The survey covered 2,285 respondents in India, 1,223 of whom were males and 1,053 were females.

The LinkedIn Opportunity Index measured the respondents' perception of the opportunities that were available to them in their country vis-a-vis the barriers that might stand in their way. A higher score represents greater optimism from respondents living in a specific market.

A deeper analysis shows that more women in India have experienced the impact of gender on career development when compared to the APAC region. In India, 85 percent claim to have missed out on a raise, promotion, or work offer because of their gender, compared to the regional average of 60 percent.

LinkedIn Opportunity Index 2021

“Gender inequality at work and added domestic responsibilities amid the pandemic have collectively made women’s jobs more vulnerable at this time," says Ruchee Anand, Director, Talent, and Learning Solutions, India at LinkedIn.

"As COVID-19 continues to widen these gaps, this year’s LinkedIn Opportunity Index report suggests that it is the need of the hour for organizations to reimagine their diversity practices and offer greater flexibility to caregivers, in order to increase female participation in the workforce. Reduced and flexible schedules, more sabbaticals, and new opportunities to upskill and learn are critical offerings that can help organizations attract, hire, and retain more female talent,” she added.

Towards International Women’s Day 2021, the report suggested measures including telecommuting or Work-From-Home which has been appreciated by women across the workforce in India during the pandemic, and it is seen as the top-ranking demand for women in the workforce today, along with other flexibility programs, the report said.

More than 1 in 2 women are also looking for more professional connections and mentors who can help them advance their careers, as 65 percent of women agree that lack of guidance through networks is a key opportunity barrier, it further added.